How to Deal With Vikings old
by ManaketeSmoocher
Summary: As a genderfluid, generally masculine sort of dragon loving fellow, Aran didn't expect to find themself in a place like Berk. Not that they knew what that was when they got there. Now they sort of regretted staying, as everyone thought they were romancing the chief's son, and the entire village would kill their adopted reptilian brother on the spot if they knew about them.
1. A Mother's Dying Wish

**Hi! I know this fanfic is finished, but I was wondering if any of you would be interested in me re-writing it? I've been trying to get back into writing for HTTYD and I have some things I would definitely change about this fic. So... what do you think?**

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Unformatted **text is narration for now, but will represent Norse in the future.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish dialogue.**

Underlined **text will be used for Dragonese in the future.**

 **Bold text will be used to emphasize things, so that I don't get any of the languages messed up (italics would make it a little unclear as to whether or not I mean emphasis or Irish later on)**

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A usual day for a certain little Irish child tended to consist of helping their parents around the house and exploring the outside world. Living near the beach wasn't uncommon for many people, and Aran was no exception to this. Their days oftentimes sped by with them doing nothing more than dig up sand while searching for seashells and rocks, which they had a beautiful collection of. This collection was oftentimes on display on the table their family ate at, amongst other things.

It was overcast on that specific day, the dark clouds a sure sign of rain. They knew, of course, that it wouldn't do to get caught in the rain, but they also knew that the best shells and stones could be found on rainy days. A promise to their parents that they would be back as soon as the rain fell, and they were dashing out the door, shoulder length red hair bouncing behind them. Aran spent quite a while on the shores, digging at the sand. It had been going just as they expected until they squinted and saw a large, oddly shaped lump moving in the distance. They approached it with little hesitation, as they were only four years old and had no sense of fear for such things.

The dragon was pink with faded brown stripes that had likely been much darker at some point. It looked as if it had been flying a great distance but something interrupted its flight, causing it to crash on the beach. Aran noticed that it looked injured, and was cradling what seemed to be a large rock. They realized it must be an egg, and the dragon was likely a mother. She was digging a hole in spite of the broken wing she sported, and Aran walked closer. A particularly loud step made her hiss in warning, sending Aran what they would call a glare.

Aran stumbled backwards, falling on their bum. They sat there, watching the mother bury her egg in a mound of sand. Her breathing grew more labored by the second as she settled down on the new pile of sand, and Aran felt that she would likely die soon, just like their grandmother had the previous month. Sad, pained warbles rang out when she moved, her wing in pain along with her other injuries Aran couldn't see. They got closer and she hissed again, trying to stand and fend them off, but she was in too much pain, resulting in her collapsing once more. Aran continued their approach and sat by her head, resting their small, soft, freckled hand on her large, hard, striped scales.

" _Don't cry._ " They mumbled, leaning down to rest their head on hers.

The hostility she'd held before all but disappeared at this act, as she no longer saw the human as a threat. She closed her eyes, seeming to leave the living world, but they shot open once more, revealing the milky white orbs that look strangely natural. Despite the obvious pain she was in, she forced herself to stand, moving off of the lump of sand made by her egg. She pawed at it and inclined her head, letting out a hopeful whine. At Aran's show of confusion, she dug up the egg, rolling it towards them.

" _You want me to raise it?_ "

Her pink head nudged the egg closer to them, and she nodded. Aran held the smooth, speckled egg in their lap, noticing that despite the multitude of injuries its mother had, the surface hadn't a single blemish. She curled up the best she could at Aran's nod, and let out a quiet warble. The human stayed with her until they felt rain on their pale skin. They stood, and the mother's eyes followed. Aran smiled sadly at the dying dragon before turning around and walking away, back to the cottage their mother and father raised them in. When they walked through the door, they were greeted by a hug from their mother.

" _And what's this?_ " She questioned, taking the egg. " _It looks like a big pebble!_ " Aran shook their head.

" _It's a dragon baby!_ " Their father turned to look at them.

" _An egg?_ " Aran nodded.

" _The mama is out on the beach, but I think she's dead. Like gram._ " They took the egg back.

" _Well, welcome to the family, little pebble._ " Aran's mother smiled.

" _Méaróg_ _is my new baby sibling!_ " They cheered, hugging the egg.

It was fortunate that their parents were accepting enough to take in one of those who often decimate large villages. Otherwise, the story would have definitely taken a different route.

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 _ **Word Count: 771**_

 **Note that Aran is genderfluid, so I'll be switching between they/them and he/him pronouns whenever I feel like it haha. Generally, when he's feeling more masculine, he'll have his hair in a ponytail, and when they're feeling more neutral, they'll just leave it down at shoulder length. I'm not gonna bother describing that every time I switch pronouns, so I'm just letting you know right now.**

 **Anyways, this is a little update! I just realized that I never really DESCRIBED Aran at all in this fic? So I went through to see what I can do. I'm going to draw Aran and make that the cover of this fic, but until then, just bear with me, and check out the revised chapters. In addition to including what Aran looks like, I'm trying to describe situations in general better, so... Anyways, you don't have to but you can.**

 **And if you're a new reader, well, I'm glad to have you!**


	2. Growing Up

Unformatted **text is narration for now, but will represent Norse in the future.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish dialogue.**

Underlined **text will be used for Dragonese in the future.**

 **Bold text is emphasis, so that it doesn't get mixed up with the other languages and can be used for all of them.**

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Growing up with a dragon as a sibling was quite an interesting experience. When hatched, Méaróg looked very much like their mother, save for the stripes being rather pale, almost invisible against the rest of them. Said stripes darkened with age, making a rather striking contrast against the rest of their pale pink scales. Most of the exercise Aran got growing up was from wrestling with the reptilian. They liked to think they were rather strong from this rough housing, and it gave them a few scars that were terrifying to receive at the time but rather fun to show off when they healed. Sometimes they would hear their parents talking late at night, serious conversations about whether or not it was really safe to keep Méaróg around. The village nearby had never been subject to the dragon raids others had the misfortune of having, but that didn't stop people from being nervous about the creature.

Thankfully, by the time they reached the age of thirteen (Méaróg was nine), everyone had gotten used to the constant presence of the pink reptilian. The people of the village had come to rely on their strength to help finish buildings, and someone even managed to fashion a saddle for Aran to ride them. It had been difficult, making a saddle to fit with the large base of their wings, but they managed. Aran found themself rather enjoying life, as Méaróg made it easy to stay fed by being such an excellent fisher. They would wake up in the morning and help their mother make breakfast before going out to help their father with his work. After that, they would all eat lunch, and Aran would have the rest of the day to go off into town or fly around with the dragon they called their sibling. When night fell and it was time to head to bed, their mother would read from an old, battered book of hers, teaching them how to decipher the odd lines on the pages.

Though they were quite an intelligent young child, they found that they also enjoyed doing completely stupid things, as the other boys around their age did. It was bit awkward, explaining to their friends why they were growing breasts. Initially, they'd thought Aran lied to them and had been a girl the whole time. After much explaining in many different ways, they gave up, convincing their friends that they'd been cursed to grow breasts. That was a complete lie, of course. Aran, however, found that it was much easier to lie than tell the truth. The truth that they were just born in the wrong sort of body. Somehow, the whole of the town still kept their view of Aran as masculine, and they received a lot of pity about their supposed curse. They only had to deal with that for a few years, however.

" _Is he waking up?_ " It was the voice of Aran's father. They tried to sit up, but their head throbbed as soon as they tried, as well as their chest for some reason. Their father gently made them lie back down.

" _Don't push yourself._ " Aran couldn't even remember what had happened the previous day to make them feel so terrible, but they appreciated the water they were helped to drink.

" _What's going on? I'm in my bed…_ " They opened their brown eyes, seeing midday light filtering through their window.

" _Well, you decided to start celebrating your fifteenth birthday a bit early._ " Their father laughed, followed by their mother's worried tone.

" _I can't believe you did that. If it weren't for Méaróg_ _I don't know if you'd have survived, with what you did to yourself!_ " Aran groaned.

" _What did I do?_ "

" _Well, you could say you broke your fake curse._ " Aran's father laughed, but it stopped quickly. They assumed their mother had silenced him with a glare. " _D'you think you're ready to sit up now?_ "

" _I don't know, but I want to try anyways._ " They stated with a yawn.

Aran still had no idea what their parents were talking about, but they accepted the help in sitting up. A tray of breakfast was placed into their lap. It was as they were looking down and eating that they realized what it was they'd done last night.

" _Oh. It seems I got dead drunk and cut my breasts off._ " It explained the pain, both in their head and chest. Their father nodded a little awkwardly before excusing himself to go work.

" _I hope you know I'll be keeping a close watch on you from now on! You could've died!_ " Their mother exclaimed.

" _Mum, I'm fine. I just have to get over this hangover and not go on any crazy adventures!_ " They laughed, and their mother joined in.

" _You're right. I'll be leaving you to get some rest, now. If you leave this room without my okay, though…_ " She gave them a look, and they nodded quickly.

" _Wouldn't dream of it. It's off to dreamland for your favorite son._ "

" _Well, I hope the birthday boy is happy to sleep his whole birthday away. Don't have_ _ **too**_ _much fun being fifteen._ " She smiled before leaving the room, likely going off to read her book.

Aran slept until their body told them it was dinner time. They left their room despite what their mother had told them, but Méaróg nowhere in sight. Likely on a flight, Aran mused. With their parents also nowhere in the house, they had to wonder if everything was okay. They managed to find something to eat before returning to the living room, feeling confused. Not sure what to make of the empty house, they found a note in the handwriting of their mother. It seemed more for herself than it was for them, but they appreciated the knowledge that they should probably change the bandages on their chest. They did so clumsily, feeling a little queasy about the burn marks that were likely from someone sealing the wound as quickly as they could think of. Another hour of waiting, and Méaróg finally made a sound from nearby. Aran put an undershirt and shirt on before going out of the house, but stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the town in flames.

" _That's not good_." They stated as they stood by their antsy dragon. " _Do you think mum and dad are alright?"_ Méaróg whimpered. " _You're right. We really need to get out of here. I think I see other dragons attacking the village._ "

Their voice seemed strangely calm through the whole thing, and they suspected it was from shock. Aran went back into the house immediately, packing a small bag that included several days food and the book their mother always read to them. They also took a blank journal and charcoal just in case they needed it for whatever reason. Méaróg pawed at the ground nervously just outside the front door as Aran impulsively packed their tin whistle. The dragon wasn't allowed inside the house anymore, as they were much too large. Aran attempted slinging the bag over their shoulder before wincing in pain from the tug at their chest. They decided to pack extra bandages, as well as a sort of healing salve they found, before carrying the bag with them to where Méaróg was waiting. Not sure long the flight would be, they reached up to tie their shoulder length hair into a red mess of a ponytail. As they did so, their hand brushed against the metal hairpiece twisted around a lock of their hair. They'd received it for one of their previous birthdays, and it bore a dangling coin at the end, embellished with the symbol of a triskelion. Hoping it wouldn't fall out of their hair (it shouldn't, considering how thick their hair was from lack of bathing), Aran carefully climbed onto Méaróg's back, adjusting the harness that would keep them together before patting the dragon gently.

" _They might still be out there._ " It was a small feeling of hope Aran held onto. " _Maybe we shouldn't go too far. Just enough to be safe for a few days before coming back?_ " They asked Méaróg, knowing that despite the fact that they couldn't understand the dragon, the dragon could probably understand them.

Méaróg seemed to shake their head in a way that meant that they weren't going to follow their suggestion, and began a slow trot, building up speed before taking off. Aran had thought they were escaping without a hitch, but it seemed another dragon had noticed them. The strange battle between their sibling and the wild dragon seemed to go by in a blur, with Aran and Méaróg barely being able to go free. Méaróg flew north for quite some time, and Aran fell asleep. The dragon didn't seem to be following Aran's previous suggestion of staying near the village, and soon they had no idea where they were going, only that it was far away from the danger they'd just been in.

" _Growing up is no fun, Méaróg._ " Aran mumbled as they woke up a few hours later. They sighed, holding onto their bag tightly as they pulled out an apple to snack on. " _I didn't want to go very far, but I guess it's naïve to think they're still there. Maybe we'll check back in a year instead. I've grown up a bit, and I'd rather live someplace new than the sad, burned remains of the village I grew up in._ "

Méaróg crooned in agreement. Growing up didn't sound like much fun at all.

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 _ **Word Count: 1,595**_

 **Next chapter, Aran arrives at Berk!**


	3. Berk

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

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Aran awoke startled and laying on a beach. He squinted up at the overcast night sky before feeling the nudge of his brother's head on his. The dragon helped him stand, though he felt weak. Rubbing a hand on his face showed that he must have started crying in his sleep. Méaróg crooned quietly, nuzzling against him in a comforting manner before suddenly backing away, looking off in a different direction. He looked rather startled, and Aran patted his head, trying to relax him. The two of them were in a rather isolated looking area of the beach, and Aran climbed onto his brother's back. Méaróg started to walk as Aran changed his bandages, putting the salve on his chest as well. It stung, but he knew it was helping. After a few minutes of walking, they happened upon a remote cave, and Aran got off.

" _I think I saw a village nearby. A lot of noise was coming from it._ " He said, looking in the direction all the noise was coming from.

"There are a lot of dragons over there, too. I can smell them." Méaróg responded, though Aran couldn't understand him.

" _I'm going to go check it out, and hopefully find some warmer clothes._ " He shivered, rubbing his arms through his shirt after putting it back on. They had gone much farther north than he planned on.

"Please, be safe. I have a bad feeling…" The dragon let out a sound of wariness, and Aran smiled to reassure him.

" _Hey, I'll be fine. You stay here just in case these people don't get along with dragons._ " Aran knelt down in front of Méaróg, leaving a kiss on his nose. " _Stay here. If I don't come back by tomorrow night, don't try to look for me. And try to start a fire for yourself, it's freezing in here._ " He laughed slightly at the last bit.

Aran left the cave, leaving Méaróg behind to keep himself warm as his brother went off to find humans. He felt himself shivering in his boots, wishing his old home in Ireland had prepared him more for the weather, but deciding it didn't matter in the end. As he neared the village, Aran felt the temperature rise. It was with a start that he realized buildings were being set aflame by wild dragons, and he suddenly found himself glad that he made Méaróg stay behind. The inhabitants of the village were at war with the creatures, and it made Aran sad, wondering what they were fighting for. He barely dodged some kind of bola before realizing he needed to find some sort of cover. Aran darted into the nearest building he could find, breathing a little more heavily than they would have liked. If only he'd chosen a different time to cut his breasts off. His chest was hurting more than expected, but he made himself look around the building he was in. It was full of different sorts of weapons and shields, and two people seemed to be hastily meeting the demands of a line at the counter. He noticed that a boy (likely two years younger than him) was staring at him in confusion, and Aran smiled nervously.

"Who are you?" He questioned in a foreign tongue.

" _Sorry, what?_ " Now both of them looked confused.

"Wait- if you don't speak our language, where did you…?"

"Hiccup! Stop standin' around and help me out here!" A portly blond man called out.

"Ack, right, Gobber!"

The brown haired boy rushed off to help, and Aran took in his appearance. He was shorter than Aran by about two inches, and rather scrawny, especially when compared to the other people Aran had seen around. His clothes were about as light as Aran's, though he suspected that was because they were in a forge. A vest around his size (it looked a bit big for him) was hung off to the side. The blond man was missing an arm and a leg, and he was also dressed rather light compared to the people he was handing weapons to. Aran noticed the small boy struggling to carry an axe over to the man, and decided to carry it for him, making the younger flush from embarrassment at his weakness. The portly Viking accepted it, handing it to whoever asked for it.

"Thanks, Hiccup. Fast work for once!" He laughed.

"Gobber, that wasn't me."

Aran noted that the words 'Hiccup' and 'Gobber' had been repeated several times, and he decided they were probably names. Gobber spun around to look at Aran, scratching his head before someone yelled at him from outside the forge. The blond man shouted something to Hiccup before hastening to fulfil the demands of the people outside. Hiccup sort of stared at Aran for a bit before the redhead decided to break the 'silence' (if one could call it that with all the background noise).

"Hiccup?" He pointed at the shorter boy and tilted his head. Hiccup nodded. "Gabber?" Aran gestured to the portly man, and Hiccup shook his head.

"Gobber."

"... _I knew that._ " He grumbled. Hiccup seemed to be wracking his brain.

"I swear I've heard that language before… _Irish?_ " Aran blinked, nodding.

" _Yes!_ " He couldn't help the smile that made its way onto his face. " _My name is_ _Aran._ " Hiccup frowned, moving to sharpen a sword.

" _Not good._ " He said crudely. " _I am not good at Irish._ " Aran's smile fell.

" _Maybe we can teach each other?_ " He was hopeful, as he didn't want to have to find another place to stay. Hiccup smiled.

"That'd be great!" He blinked, remembering Aran couldn't understand him. " _Yes._ " Aran's smile returned. "My name is Hiccup." The Viking properly introduced himself.

" _Umm…_ My name is Aran?" He repeated the phrase, using his name instead of Hiccup's. Hiccup nodded. " _Where are we?_ "

"Berk." Hiccup looked confused as he handed Gobber the sword he'd been sharpening. " _How you get here?_ "

" _My brother and I-_ " Aran paused, remember where he was. " _Our village was attacked by dragons for the first time. We rushed to get on a boat and we ended up here after drifting a long time._ " Aran let Hiccup think through what he just said. After deciphering it, Hiccup frowned.

" _Dragons ruin everything. Your brother is here?_ " Aran had to shake his head.

" _Dead. At sea. And I don't think it was the fault of the dragons. We've never been attacked before._ " He sighed. " _Maybe they were just hungry._ " Hiccup noticed that Aran seemed more upset at the idea of the dragons being hungry than he was at the death of his brother, but he pushed aside his suspicion.

" _I will do anything to kill a dragon._ " He stated. " _Then everyone will like me._ " Aran frowned.

" _I don't need everyone to like me. Just the people I'm close to._ " He smiled. " _If it makes you feel better, I like you well enough._ "

Hiccup smiled back, and the two worked while chattering about themselves. Aran began to learn the other's language, as well as correcting and helping Hiccup with his Irish. They talked for a few hours until it seemed the 'Dragon Raid' (as Hiccup called it) was over. The younger boy, after explaining to Aran that his father was the chief, dragged him off to meet him and hopefully find him somewhere to sleep, at least for that night. When they found Stoick the Vast, Aran had to wonder how the much larger man managed to produce a son as spindly as Hiccup. Hiccup spoke to his father before turning to Aran.

" _He wants to talk to you._ " Aran almost looked amused.

" _I barely know a word of Norse_." Hiccup laughed.

" _I can translate?_ " He didn't sound like he believed he could, so Aran gave him a reassuring smile.

" _That sounds like a good plan._ " Aran turned to face the larger man. "My name is Aran." He stated in heavily accented Norse.

"Stoick the Vast. Don't suppose you already knew that?" Aran blinked. He recognized the name, but not the rest. Hiccup assumed his job as a translator.

" _He ask if you know him._ "

" _Only what you told me._ " Hiccup nodded.

" _I repeat your exact words so you can learn._ " The younger boy smiled before doing just that.

"Well, how in the name of Thor did he get here?"

" _I tell him what you tell me?_ " Aran nodded. "His village was attacked by dragons and he got on a boat with his brother. They drifted at sea before winding up here."

"And what happened to the brother?" Stoick looked suspicious. Hiccup made eye contact with Aran.

" _Dead._ "

"Dead." Hiccup repeated after him, in Norse. Stoick looked serious, but before he could ask anything more, Aran held up his hand, a sign that he wanted to speak.

" _I actually have a burn wound on my chest. It would be nice to change my bandages and apply the salve soon._ " Hiccup looked at him in surprise after processing the information.

"He… has a burn wound on his chest? I think he wants you to make a decision soon so he can change his bandages." Stoick also looked surprised.

"He took dragon fire to the chest? How is he alive?" The chief shook his head. "I can ask my questions in the morning. Make a cot for him in your room for the time being." Stoick left, likely going off to deal with chiefly duties before he turned in for the night.

" _You sleep in my room tonight. Dad has questions but for tomorrow._ " Hiccup informed him, and Aran nodded.

" _Lead the way._ "

The two teens made their way to the chief's house, and Hiccup led him up to his room. Aran thanked him, taking his bag with him after informing the younger boy that he would be back after a short while. When he returned, Hiccup seemed to be scribbling something in a small notebook, charcoal in hand. Aran sat beside him on the bed, startling the younger boy. Hiccup immediately closed the journal, hiding whatever it was he was doing. Aran decided to pry anyways.

" _What was that?_ " Hiccup seemed hesitant. " _Go on, I'm curious. It's not like I'm going to make fun of you or anything. We're friends, aren't we?_ "

" _Friends…_ Friends." Hiccup hadn't taught him the Norse word for friend yet, so that's what he did.

"I am Hiccup's friend." Aran stated, forming the simple sentence with what little Norse he'd learned. It seemed to do the trick, as Hiccup had a soft look in his eyes when he opened the book to show him. " _Weapons? Against what?_ "

"Dragons, of course." He stated in Norse, and Aran managed to understand.

"Oh." He tried not to look disappointed. " _I'd rather draw…_ dragons."

" _But look at this_ bola launcher!"

Hiccup launched into an eager description, not realizing Aran had fallen asleep on his bed until after he'd explained the mechanics of his bola launcher. He huffed in both annoyance and amusement, and was fully prepared to shove the older teen off the bed before stopping himself. Aran claimed to be wounded, so it would be wrong to push him onto the ground, wouldn't it? There was also the fact that Hiccup didn't want to leave the bed, though it was mostly due to the cold weather. He decided rather sleepily that he would rather just share the bed than sleep on the cold ground, so all he could do at that point was hope his father wouldn't see them in the morning. Hiccup found himself hoping Aran would stay in Berk. He'd never had a friend besides Gobber, after all.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 1,939**_

 **So, back when I first posted these chapters, fanfiction like, deleted my underlines? So I had the dragonese unformatted. This is a fun chance to fix that haha**


	4. Language Troubles

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Aran was awoken the next morning by Hiccup's startled yelp. He fell off the bed with an almost comical thud as Aran sat up. The older boy quirked a thick red eyebrow before glancing around, remembering where he was. Stoick's voice came from somewhere downstairs, likely calling out in concern for the sudden noise. Hiccup shouted back something in Norse, putting a hand over where his heart was. Aran blinked before beginning to laugh. He received an unamused look from Hiccup.

" _Sorry for falling asleep with you._ "

"Just… _Please no again._ " Aran smiled pleasantly as Hiccup sat back on his bed, keeping distance between them.

" _Not. Instead of no. But it'd be better to say 'Please don't do it again' or something._ " He corrected idly. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

" _I will remember._ " The Viking boy looked strangely embarrassed.

" _I really am sorry. My brother and I always slept together. Berk is way colder than my homeland, so the body heat and comfort of the blankets must have lulled me to sleep._ " Hiccup seemed to understand what he said, using context clues to figure out words he didn't know.

"Great, _now I feel bad._ " He grumbled, though Aran managed to detect the sarcasm in his tone.

"Hiccup! Are you up yet?"

"Yes, dad! We're coming down right now!" Hiccup shouted back at his father. " _Come on. Dad want to talk._ "

Aran followed the younger boy downstairs, humming a tune from his hometown. The fire was crackling as pleasantly as it could, trying its best to fight off the cold. Hiccup and Stoick seemed immune to the frigid temperatures, and Aran suspected this weather was nothing to them. It made him pout immaturely as he shivered in his boots. Stoick was going over some list, and Aran had to wonder how long he'd been awake. The mountain of a man turned to face the teenagers, putting the paper away.

"Hiccup. Aran."

"Hello." Aran replied pleasantly, giving some Norse a shot. Not that he knew much. Stoick nodded in response before speaking again.

"I want to know about the burn." He stated, getting right down to business. Hiccup got to work as a translator.

" _You say you have burn?_ " Aran nodded. " _Dragon?_ " He shook his head.

" _Don't let me get drunk. I do dumb things._ " Hiccup didn't seem to understand. " _Alcohol?_ " Aran was forced to mimic the village drunk.

"Oh." He cleared his throat, turning his attention to his father. "Well, it's not from a dragon. He says not to let him near alcohol because he makes stupid decisions. Turns out he's not superhuman at all, and as such, probably can't survive dragon fire to the chest."

"Well…" Stoick frowned, and Aran began to inspect some book Hiccup had left lying around. He hummed as Stoick observed him. "He doesn't seem like much of a threat, but the language barrier…"

"I was actually thinking, maybe Gobber could use more help around the forge? He's… Well, he's a fast learner, and I was thinking I could teach him Norse because, well, I'm pretty sure I'm the only person on the island who speaks any Irish." Hiccup looked at his father hopefully. Aran was his first friend besides Gobber, and he'd like to spend more time with him despite not even knowing him for a day. "And- and he can stay in my room until he can kind of live on his own?"

"As long as he doesn't step out of line." Stoick grabbed some sort of hammer, swinging it over his shoulder. "I'm off to help rebuilding. Don't mess anything up while I'm busy." With that, the large man left the house, and Hiccup sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank the gods he agreed to that."

" _Do you make a habit of talking to yourself?_ " Aran casually reminded Hiccup of his existence.

"Wha- well, I mean-" He sighed. "Yes. _Nobody pay attention to me._ " Aran interpreted that along the lines of 'Nobody ever pays attention to me, so it's kind of like a coping mechanism' and he suddenly felt bad for the kid.

" _Well, now I'm paying attention to you, so I hope you don't mind me listening in._ " He smiled. " _Besides, I'd like a tour of the place._ " Hiccup opened the front door, causing Aran to be reminded of the cold as frigid winds wiped out the fire. " _And a jacket_." The younger boy laughed.

" _I find you something._ "

They went around the village, Hiccup pointing people out, and Aran asking questions. After getting a feel for the general layout of the land, Aran reminded Hiccup that he was, in fact, freezing to death. Hiccup somewhat awkwardly offered him the vest he was wearing until they found something warmer for him to wear. Aran's concern for Hiccup's sacrifice was quickly dismissed as the younger boy reminded him that he'd been living in Berk for all his life and was more than used to the weather. The vest, while rather large on Hiccup, was about the right size for Aran. He teased the other about his scrawniness, though he made sure to make it clear he was only joking and didn't mean a word he was saying. It was around noon that they decided to take a break, choosing a nice spot near the plaza to sit down in. Hiccup provided a decent amount of food for the two of them to share lunch. It was a rather cloudy day, and Aran was just thankful it wasn't hailing. He was still freezing cold, though.

" _How do you keep up with all of it? The rebuilding?_ " Aran questioned idly as he took a bite out of a small biscuit. " _If the dragons destroy everything every time…_ _Where do all the resources come from?_ " Hiccup didn't answer for a bit.

"I don't know. Dad's the one who takes care of that." He tossed a small pebble up and down. " _Sorry, I should repeat-_ "

"No." Aran smiled. "I understand." Hiccup looked at them in surprise as he stopped tossing the rock.

"Wow. _I'm impressed._ " He threw the stone without looking.

"Ouch!" Aran looked up at the injured boy. "What the heck, Hiccup!" He approached.

"Snotlout, it was an accident." Hiccup sighed. Aran snorted.

" _What kind of name is Snotlout_?" Hiccup stifled a laugh.

"Oh, and who's this? Your new boyfriend?" Snotlout laughed obnoxiously, causing Hiccup's cheeks to redden. Aran didn't understand what he was saying, but he tried to be pleasant.

"Hello. My name is Aran."

"And he's not my boyfriend."

"Ha! Hahaha! I can barely understand him, are you sure that's Norse he's speaking?" Hiccup had to agree that Aran's accent made him a bit hard to understand when he spoke Norse.

" _Something about Norse_?" Aran questioned, and Hiccup nodded. " _He doesn't sound very nice._ "

" _He's not._ " Snotlout tried to get their attention, but he failed.

" _Why don't you tell him to bug off?_ "

" _Well I can't tell him to leave! He's my cousin, and way stronger than me."_

"Umm, hellooo?"

"Hello?" Aran responded. Snotlout seemed to decide he was weird, though Aran couldn't imagine why.

"Man, what kind of freaky language is that?" He left, and Hiccup laughed a little.

" _Who know all I have to do is speak_ gibberish _to make him leave?_ " Aran shrugged, eating his lunch.

"Woah, sis, who's that?"

"Who?" The brother smacked his sister.

"That weird red haired person, idiot!" The twins bickered, and Aran looked to Hiccup.

"Ruffnut and Tuffnut. _Twins, obviously._ "

" _Which one's which?_ "

" _I think Ruffnut is the girl?_ " Aran nodded.

" _Easy enough to tell apart._ _Is there anyone else around our age?_ "

" _Astrid is the violent one. Fishlegs… I'm not really sure. He's big._ " Hiccup shrugged, and Aran supposed he didn't really get the chance to know the other teens that well.

" _Oh, and there's Gobber_." Aran pointed him out and Hiccup nodded.

"There's Gobber." He seemed to remember something. "Actually… _Gobber_ _never actually met you_." Hiccup stood, and Aran followed, munching on the last bit of fruit. He noticed that Hiccup hadn't eaten anywhere near the portion he had, though Aran pushed the thought aside. That must be why he was so thin.

" _Does he need to?_ " Hiccup suddenly realized that he never told Aran he would be working in the forge with him.

"Yes. I kind of… _forget to mention you will work with me and_ _Gobber._ "

"Gobber _and I._ " Aran corrected. " _I guess it's kind of important to meet him, in that case._ "

After properly meeting Gobber, Aran was feeling a bit exhausted. All he wanted was to curl up next to Méaróg and take a nap. He was still cold, despite the added warmth of Hiccup's vest, and it took to two of them longer than expected to finally find him a jacket (and a better pair of boots). Hiccup gratefully took his vest back as Aran slipped into the much warmer coat he now had. They walked in silence for a bit before Aran announced that he wanted to explore the beach. Hiccup's face fell when he mentioned he wanted alone time, but he told himself he'd be fine alone again. Aran was given rather straightforward instructions before Hiccup told him to make sure he returned to Stoick's house before the sun set. Judging by how much time they'd spent wandering, Aran decided he had about three hours to spend with Méaróg. It was short compared to being able to spend all day with him, but it was better than nothing. The Irish boy made it down to Méaróg's cave, sighing in contentment at the warmth from the small fire the dragon had started up.

" _Hey, Méaróg!_ " He called out cheerfully, though his face fell immediately upon being pounced on. " _Ouch. Brother, my wound is still only two days old."_ The dragon seemed to croon in apology, getting off of him after leaving a lick to his face. " _Oh- Méaróg, that's disgusting!_ " Aran laughed, sitting up.

"You're the one who took so long getting back." He grumbled, settling down on the ground, wings flopped out as always. Méaróg didn't like folding them in.

" _You're lucky I like you so much._ " Aran wiped the spit off with his coat sleeve. " _Wait- fuck, this is my new jacket! Looks like I'm still an idiot."_ He settled against the reptile.

"What in the world took you so long?" Though he couldn't understand him, Aran answered his question due to the need to explain himself.

" _I kind of ran into the chief's son. I'm staying with them now. Boy, am I glad I made you stay in this cave. These people are dragon killers._ "

"I know. One of their near victims told me as she was escaping."

" _I know, it's terrible._ " Aran sighed. " _I would have gotten here sooner, but Hiccup- that's the chief's son's name- wanted to give me a tour of the village._ " Méaróg snorted. What kind of name was Hiccup? It sounded like something you would name the runt of the litter. " _His name sucks, huh? It must run in the family. His cousin is named_ _ **Snotlout**_ _of all things."_

"That's even worse." The dragon shifted, moving to stand up. He walked to the edge of the cave, turning around and shaking his wings. "Fly?"

" _Let me change my bandages first._ " Aran stated with a grin.

He'd noticed definite results from the salve, and though the wound wasn't anywhere near completely healed, he found that it didn't sting quite as much as it had when he'd woken up the previous day. Aran mounted his brother, bringing his tin whistle with him. They had always enjoyed flights together, but they'd never really bothered too much with fancy maneuvers. Méaróg had always seemed content to glide around leisurely as Aran played the instrument, and seeing as Aran was too injured to try anything strenuous, that was just what they would do. The pair took care to stay out of view of any Vikings as Méaróg showed Aran around the rest of the island. Apparently the younger brother had taken the time to explore in Aran's absence, and Aran took note of a few distinct locations. There was a nice cove over there, and a seemingly deserted beach across the island from Hooligan Village.

" _This place isn't actually that terrible looking, is it?_ "

"Especially now, when nobody is killing dragons."

" _Sometimes I wish I knew what the hell you're saying._ " Aran laughed. " _At least you're not speaking Norse_!"

"Language troubles?"

" _It's kind of a weird language. It makes me think of potatoes!_ " Méaróg let out a sound that sounded oddly like a draconic laugh. " _I can't shake the feeling that I've heard it before, though…_ "

"There was that one human woman we met who was friends with a dragon."

" _I might be imagining things, though._ " He mused. " _Reminds me of a tune I learned a long while ago._ " Aran played a short melody. " _What was it? Something about_ Dancing and Dreaming?"

"She said it was a popular song in her tribe. She used to sing and dance it with her husband."

" _You know, I think a Viking woman might have taught me that! She had a dragon friend. I wonder if I remember all the words, still?_ "

"Sometimes it's really frustrating that you can't understand a word I'm saying…" Méaróg let out a short puff of air from his nostrils.

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas…" Aran recited. " _The next part sounded a bit funny, like a word was messed up._ _Something about_ ne'er a fear of drowning?" He played the melody on his tin whistle again. " _I actually kind of understand some of that now, actually. Not much, but some._ "

"You sang this song repeatedly for a year, how could you have forgotten any of it?"

" _Oi, you're soundin' a bit sassy there, little brother. Respect your elders!_ " He giggled slightly. "And gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me." Aran hummed. " _No idea what that means. It really is Norse_ , _though!_ _I think I remember the rest of it. I'd rather play it for you, though._ "

Aran did just that, stumbling through the melody as he tried to remember the proper notes. After playing through it once, he did it again, repeating the catchy tune for nearly a full hour. Méaróg had learned to not be frustrated by the repetition, somehow, and managed to enjoy the progress his older brother was making. They landed on the secluded beach, and Aran laughed a little. The two of them joked around, being mindful of the burn wound. It frustrated Méaróg that they couldn't wrestle, but Aran assured him that he would heal within a fortnight. He played some tunes from his hometown, the bright, cheery Irish songs a stark contrast to the depressing skies above. Aran realized with a start that it was raining, and he got on Méaróg as quickly as he dared. The dragon understood without him having to speak, dropping him off as close to town as he could without being spotted. Aran kissed him on the snout before rushing to the chief's house, Méaróg making his way down to the beach cave. Unfortunately for him, by the time he arrived at the house, he was soaking wet. Hiccup came downstairs at the sound of the door being slammed shut, seeing Aran shivering in his boots.

" _You know, I'm not very fond of the weather here on Berk_. _When am I allowed to see the sun again?_ " Aran asked, semi-jokingly.

"Pssh, _the sun, what's that?_ " Hiccup responded, also semi-jokingly.

" _So, I don't suppose I could take a hot bath right about now?_ " The viking raised a brow. " _No?_ "

"No."

" _Well, I guess all I can do is strip, in that case…_ " Aran mumbled to himself, beginning to pull his shirt off.

"Woah- woah, what are you doing?"

" _If you're asking what I'm doing, I'm taking my clothes off? It's not like I wanna get sick. I always get sick if I stay in wet clothes for too long._ " Hiccup was obviously not accustomed to such ways of thinking.

"Wow, okay, so, _my room?_ " Aran blinked, dropping the hem of his shirt as he followed Hiccup up the stairs.

" _I'm assuming you meant you didn't want me stripping in the living room because nudity is indecent but it's more acceptable away from such a public location._ "

"Umm… Whatever that means." Safely inside Hiccup's room, Aran took both his jacket and his shirt off, hanging them to dry. He was left in the dark tank top he wore under his clothes, bandages visible where the neck scooped down.

" _Ahh, see, now I have to change my bandages again._ " He looked inside his soggy bag, glad that he'd bothered to take the charcoal and books out before he left. " _They're all wet. Even the ones in my bag._ " Aran removed the under shirt and began to unwrap the ones on his chest. " _I don't suppose you have any lying around?_ "

"Sorry, what?"

" _Bandages?_ " Aran held up the soaked, dirty cloth that had previously been on his chest. He didn't notice the slight reddening of Hiccup's cheeks.

"Right! Bandages!" The viking left the room, presumably to find some. He came back after a few minutes, which Aran passed by humming to himself and applying the ointment to his chest. "So, I have some _cloth. I think it work._ " Aran took it. He also took the clean but soggy bandages that had been in his bag and hung them with his shirts and jacket.

" _Good enough!_ " He'd been about to apply the bandages when he noticed Hiccup staring at his chest. " _Nasty, isn't it?_ " Hiccup coughed upon being found out.

" _I wouldn't say-_ "

" _Yeah you would. I think it's pretty nasty too, but hey, I did it to myself._ " He shrugged as he finished. " _Hey, you know, I remember learning this one song in Norse_ _from some lady before I came here!_ "

"Really?" Hiccup looked surprised, if not a little impressed.

" _Yeah! It went kind of like this…_ " He cleared his throat, humming the main melody as he finished bandaging his chest. It looked as if he wouldn't have to bandage it for too much longer before it healed. Aran failed to see Hiccup's eyes widen. " _D'you recognize it?_ "

" _I do, and I don't think-_ "

" _To hell with thinking, sing it with me!_ " Aran started it off a bit slow, as if to coax Hiccup into singing with him. "I'll swim and sail on savage seas," His accent was lighter than before, likely because he'd sang it so many time to himself in the past. "With ne'er a fear of drowning," Hiccup bit his lip, seeming conflicted about something. "And gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me."

" _Aran_ , _do you have_ _ **any**_ _idea what you're singing._ " Hiccup asked, and Aran ignored him. The younger boy took that as a 'no, I have no idea what I'm singing but I'm going to keep doing it because I want to, and you can't stop me.'

"No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will stop me on my journey,"

"Aran-"

"If you will promise me your heart, and love me for eternity." Aran laughed. " _Come on, Hiccup! I've never gotten to sing this with anyone else, sing with me!_ "

"Aran-" Hiccup looked at his friend's face and groaned. How could he say no? He felt more than a little awkward about singing, but did so nonetheless. "My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me," Aran's grin was infectious, and Hiccup couldn't help but find himself smiling a little too, despite feeling awkward singing the girl's part. "But I've no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me."

"Hahaha, _come on, Hiccup_ , _put some spirit into it, dance with me!_ " Aran pulled Hiccup to his feet. When he resumed singing, it seemed he'd picked up the tempo. "But I would bring you rings of gold, I'd even sing you poetry, and I would keep you from all harm if you would stay beside me!" Aran succeeded in getting Hiccup's energy up, and they danced the best they could for two young teenagers.

"I have no use for rings of gold, I care not for your poetry, I only want your hand to hold, I only want you near me!" The next part they sang together as they danced like a couple of idiots.

"To love and kiss, to sweetly hold, for the dancing and the dreaming! Through all life's sorrows, and delights, I'll keep your laugh inside me! I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning. I'd gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me!"

Hiccup broke into a fit of laughter as Aran held out the last note. Not being able to hold it with Hiccup laughing so much, Aran joined him, and both of them were laughing uncontrollably. All was well and good until Hiccup saw a certain someone standing in the doorway looking even more cross than ever. Hiccup abruptly stopped laughing, causing Aran to stop as well, looking at his friend in confusion. The foreigner turned to look at their audience member and put a pleasant smile on, not quite grasping the situation.

"Hello, Chief!"

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 3,548**_

 **I remember really enjoying this chapter when I wrote it. Maybe it's just because I love love love the song? Sorry if Hiccup singing along seems a little forced, I just really wanted the two of them to sing it and hey! It gives a very easy reason for Stoick to get angry!**


	5. Settling In

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Hello, Chief!" Aran greeted a rather angry looking Stoick. The large man focused his glare on his son.

"Dad, I can explain-"

"Explain what, explain why you're singing and dancing one of our most popular love songs with another boy?" Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat.

"It's not his fault, he doesn't know what any of it means!"

"And why did you go along with it? How does he even know the song if he didn't learn it from you?"

"I-I don't know, he just started singing it and he insisted-"

"Hiccup, you're a Haddock. If you can't resist this boy's wishes, he can't be staying with us." Aran blinked, not understanding much of the very serious conversation that seemed to be happening between father and son.

"Dad-"

"He'll be staying with Gobber. At least the two of them have something in common." Hiccup frowned.

"He didn't mean to-" Stoick sighed loudly.

"I don't have the time to be dealing with your messes, Hiccup. I have a village to rebuild." Hiccup frowned.

"... Fine." The chief left without another word, though there were plenty of things Hiccup wanted to say to him. Things he didn't have the courage to say.

"Hiccup?" Aran questioned now that the large, angry man was gone.

"And I want him out of your room! He sleeps downstairs tonight!" Stoick's voice called out.

"... _Aran_. _That song…_ " Aran tilted his head in confusion.

" _What about it? It's just a catchy tune, isn't it?_ " Hiccup shook his head.

" _It's a really popular, umm…_ shoot, how do you say 'love' in Irish…" He grew silent, trying to figure out how to convey his message. " _It's song for man and woman?_ " Aran still didn't seem to understand. " _Together?_ " Hiccup made some sort of hand gesture that seemed to help Aran connect the dots.

" _Oh dear. I'm sorry._ " Aran knew his apology wasn't worth much, but he didn't really have anything else to give.

" _It okay, you didn't know._ " He ran a hand down his face. " _Sleep downstairs._ "

"..." Aran frowned.

" _Dad said sleep downstairs._ " The Irish boy sighed.

" _I'll be cold. I don't even have a dry shirt._ " Hiccup scratched his head.

" _You borrow my vest again?_ " Aran shrugged, accepting the slightly scratchy material as he didn't exactly have any other options.

"... _Would it be selfish to ask for a blanket?_ " He asked sheepishly, and Hiccup looked visibly conflicted as he gave Aran his own blanket. " _You're sure?_ "

" _If I don't you freeze and I feel guilt._ " Hiccup stated as he gently pushed Aran out of the door.

" _... See you tomorrow, Hiccup._ " Aran said, trying to be as pleasant and unawkward as he could.

"Good night." Hiccup did the same.

Aran had issues falling asleep that night. He spent around an hour reading the book he'd brought from home before trying to fall asleep, but after nearly another hour of being unable to get comfortable he sort of gave up for the time being. Instead, he found himself going outside despite the cold, perching himself on the roof of the house after climbing up. Aran absentmindedly fingered different notes on his tin whistle, not really thinking about anything. Staring up at the sky, he found himself frowning. He hadn't seen it through the clouds in days, and it was kind of depressing.

The Irish boy found himself playing a bright sort of tune in an attempt to part the clouds and make way for the moonlight. At first it seemed not to work, but he kept playing, not having anything better to do with his time regardless. He thought he saw the sky brighten slightly before he went inside, but passed it off as his imagination. Shivering, he drew Hiccup's vest tighter around him as he decided it was too cold to stay outside. He carefully climbed back down the roof, making his way inside and practically burying himself in the borrowed blankets. The warmth from the surprisingly soft material lulled him to sleep, and he found himself dreaming of nothing in particular.

When he woke up the next morning, he found that he'd gotten less sleep than usual, yet felt more rested than he had in a few days. Aran went up to Hiccup's room, seeing that the younger boy had already left. He shrugged, checking his drying clothes and feeling frustrated that they weren't suitably dry enough for him to wear. Hearing a bird singing, Aran looked outside to be surprised by a pleasantly sunny day. He smiled, hanging his clothes to dry in the sun as he grabbed his (thankfully dry) bag, wondering where he should go. After a moment of thought, he headed off towards Gobber's forge. He would be moving in with the blond man, after all! And Hiccup worked there, if he remembered correctly, so it was the only place Aran could think to look for him.

When he walked into the forge, he saw Gobber repairing an axe that seemed to have been broken during the dragon raid Aran had arrived during. The Irish boy looked around, frowning when he saw that Hiccup was nowhere in sight. Aran watched Gobber work for a while, appreciating the warmth of the forge. Getting somewhat bored, he looked around, disappointed by the multitude of weapons. In his village, the forge in town had made more domestic items, like kitchen knives, plates, and the like. They were a civilization of farmers, after all, and they had no need for real weaponry. Aran brought his tin whistle out, absentmindedly playing a song his mother used to hum to herself. She never did tell him what the words were. Perhaps at this point he would never know. His fingers slowed at that thought, and he shook his head. He didn't want to think of that. It wasn't as if he knew his parents were dead. They may have escaped, after all, and he had to hold onto that hope until he found his way back to his hometown.

Oi, Aran!" Gobber called to them, startling him out of his thoughts. "Come sharpen this here sword." He was waving a sword somewhat precariously, making Aran slightly nervous.

" _I'm sorry, what?_ " Gobber tossed it at him, making him nearly drop the weapon in surprise. He carried it rather effortlessly after regaining his sense of balance, however. " _My Norse_ _isn't all that good yet._ "

"Ah, do I have to play charades or something?" Aran blinked, managing an awkward smile. Where was Hiccup when you needed him? Gobber demonstrated, sharpening a different sword.

" _Oh, am I sharpening?_ "

The blacksmith gestured for him to give it a try, and Aran did so, albeit somewhat hesitantly and incorrectly. Aran spent a surprising amount of time learning how to use the grinding stone properly, and when Gobber was satisfied that he could do it without supervision, he set to sharpening all of the swords that needed sharpening. It was surprisingly pleasant, and Aran was glad for both having something to do and the fact that the building was warm enough for him not to be affected by the weather. He had to wonder if his shirt and jacket were dry yet, as it was somewhat awkward to walk around shirtless save for the bandages on his chest and Hiccup's vest. Nearly an hour had passed when Hiccup hurried into the forge, apologizing for being late before launching into a different conversation topic. Aran simply hummed to himself as he finished up the last sword he was assigned to sharpen. The chief's son approached him, tying an apron behind himself as he did so. It occurred to Aran that he should probably get one of those at some point. Or maybe not? He wasn't sure what the purpose of said apron really was.

" _You uhh, do all in one hour?_ " Aran looked down at the sword he was holding. It felt rather nice in his hands.

"Yes." He answered in Norse, knowing that despite being more comfortable with Irish he really needed to practice the vernacular. "Gobber teach me."

"Taught. Gobber **taught** you."

"Gobber taught me." Aran repeated with a slight smile. Hiccup looked around.

"Gods, it's late… Is there even anything left for me to do…?" And with that, Aran was completely lost.

"What? _Are you just talking to yourself again or should I be trying to figure what that meant?_ " Hiccup shook his head, saying something to Gobber. The portly man gestured to a jumbled mess of weapons and various objects as he responded. " _Okay, I need serious language lessons._ "

"Gobber _tell me to…_ " He searched for the word. " _Clean._ " Hiccup gestured in the same direction Gobber just did.

" _So we're just organizing?_ " Aran followed the spindly boy to the pile of sharp pointy things. Hiccup began sorting them as he nodded.

"Sword." He held the item up.

" _Sword._ " Aran repeated in Irish before Hiccup put it in its proper place.

"Mace."

" _Mace._ "

The pattern repeated, Hiccup teaching him just about every weapon name he could ever need to know. Aran found himself feeling confident in his skills for labelling weapons by the end of that, and continued to shadow Hiccup's everyday work in the forge, learning both language and smithing skills. After what felt like a long day of work, Aran felt rather satisfied with the outcome. They stayed in the forge after completing all of their tasks, though Aran felt sort of antsy, wanting to see his brother. Hiccup continued to do odd tasks for Gobber as Aran began to play his tin whistle once more. He mostly played tunes from his hometown, which were bright and cheery. Some of them were slower than the others, though he usually liked to ignore those ones. After a while of Aran playing familiar songs, he decided to play one that made Hiccup stop working. Aran didn't notice until the smaller boy had pulled the instrument away from his mouth.

"Aran. _Not that one._ " Aran blinked.

" _Oh shit, that's the love song, sorry._ " He bit his cheek. " _What are the consequences for that anyways?_ "

"Dad says… you _live with Gobber_ _now._ "

" _Not with you?_ " Aran frowned, not really wanting to separate from the only person he could hold a conversation with. Hiccup shrugged.

"Nope. Dad _is pretty mad. He think you are going to_ …" Hiccup frowned. " _Never mind. I can't think of the word._ " Aran snickered.

" _He thinks I'm going to bewitch you with my sinful ways?_ " The Irish boy flipped his red hair jokingly, despite it not being quite long enough to flip. It made a valiant effort, and he supposed the fact that it was still tied back into a ponytail didn't really help much. Hiccup snorted slightly, looking away from the taller boy. " _Sorry, I think you're a little young for my tastes as of the moment. What are you, twelve?_ "

" _I am sorry to inform you that I don't know any numbers in Irish past ten._ "

" _It's ten and two. Twelve._ " Aran held up all ten of his fingers before closing his hands and holding up two fingers.

"Twelve?" Hiccup scoffed. "I'm thirteen, thank you very much." Aran laughed.

" _How much is that?_ "

" _Ten and three._ Ten and three. Thirteen." He showed the number in much the same way as Aran had with twelve.

" _Thirteen!_ " Aran snickered. " _Still a bit young, there. That age gap can't exceed one year until I turn eighteen._ "

"Wait, _how old are you?_ "

"I am ten and…" Aran blinked. " _Five._ "

"Ten and five is fifteen." Hiccup supplied, providing him with the Norse word for both five and fifteen. He then felt startled at the revelation that his friend was two years older than him. "Woah, you're fifteen?"

" _Oh shut up, I know I don't look like an old man, but it's the truth._ " He snickered.

"And your voice?"

"My what?"

" _Your voice._ " Aran didn't follow. " _It hasn't dropped?_ "

" _Funny story, I think I was cursed at birth. Let's not talk about that until_ _ **your**_ _voice drops._ "

Aran casually avoided the subject topic of the fact that he would never have a deep voice. If questioned, he would say he was cursed to inhabit a woman's body, but it wasn't necessary to at that moment. His avoidance seemed to be recognized, and they began talking about Aran's hometown, as well as the instrument he seemed to carry around with him everywhere. After a while of idle chatter, Hiccup asked him if he wanted to leave the forge. Aran nodded, as he had been there for several hours and was feeling kind of bored. That was before he remembered he was on Berk and the reason he was in the forge was to stay warm. He didn't want to say anything, but ended up asking if they could go back to Hiccup's house first, to see if his shirt was dry. Hiccup seemed to remember that Aran was still wearing his vest, and nodded in agreement as they headed back, talking about books. Aran hadn't read too many books, save for the one he carried with him, which his mother had always read to him. It was about many ancient legends from his hometown. Hiccup seemed to enjoy reading, but there weren't too many actual books around for him to get into. They proposed trading books, but Aran started having second thoughts, not wanting to give up the only thing he had left from his mother. As they were arriving at Hiccup's house, Aran decided he would let Hiccup read it as long as Aran was in the room with him.

Reaching Hiccup's room, Aran went to the window, immediately picking up his clothes. They seemed to have dried after being in the rare sunlight of Berk (which was actually crawling back into its blanket of clouds), and Aran took Hiccup's vest off with delight. It wasn't that he particularly disliked the article of clothing, it was more that he found his own clothes to be much softer. Hiccup suddenly realized that if Aran was to be moving in with Gobber, it might be convenient to get all of his stuff together already. Aran agreed that that was a good plan, and he put his then-dry bandages in his bag, along with his tin whistle. He then found his charcoal and books on the ground, packing them away as well. They left the house, and Aran had so few things that they didn't even need to go back to Gobber's yet.

It was at this point that Aran's urge to go see Méaróg grew enough for him to voice his want to be alone to Hiccup. He didn't miss the way Hiccup's face fell, and it made him feel a pang of guilt. Aran reassured him that they would see each other tomorrow at the forge if nowhere else. It didn't seem to cheer him up much, but he put a smile on his face regardless. Not knowing how to make him feel better, Aran somewhat awkwardly waved goodbye to him, making his way to the beach cave he knew Méaróg would be waiting in. The Irish boy entered the cave, noticing that there was a small pile of wood burning slowly. Traces of sand were in it, and Aran laughed softly at his dragon brother. Méaróg had a hard time producing any flames unless they were accompanied by sand, for whatever reason, usually only being able to produce said fire when it coated hardened balls of sand. Looking around didn't help Aran find him, though, and he had to scratch his head. Perhaps he was on a flight? The Irish boy walked out of the cave, walking on the sand as he looked up to the sky.

" _Wo-wait, what-_ " He found himself losing his footing as the sand moved beneath him. As Aran fell on his bum, he glared at his brother, who had been hiding in the sand. " _You know, this is why I don't play hide-and-seek with you anymore._ " Méaróg almost seemed to be laughing.

"I thought that was because you're bad at hiding." He shook the sand off of himself, looking somewhat upset that the sun had retreated for the day. Clouds covered the sky once more.

" _Aww, I'm sorry I missed the sunny day with you. I've been settling in. I'm thinking I'll build a house way out here, right by your cave. Up on that cliff!_ " Aran pointed up, voicing a thought that had so vaguely entered his mind he hadn't even noticed until that moment.

"Just because you missed a sunny day with me doesn't mean we aren't going flying!" Méaróg cawed slightly, nudging Aran up onto his back. The human laughed, taking his bag off and tossing it into the mouth of the cave after taking his tin whistle out.

" _Someone's excited!_ "

Aran laughed, and the two of them spent the rest of the day flying. It was almost dark by the time they got back to the cave and Aran had told him about everything that had happened in the past two days. Méaróg just seemed amused that Aran accidentally got himself kicked out of the chief's house for his homosexual tendencies. On accident. Aran flicked his brother on the snout, causing him to snort and recoil, twisting his head around to glare at him. The two landed, and the reptile gave chase, and Aran laughed as he ended up catching up and tackling him to the ground before bopping the human on the nose as payback. Aran shoved him off and blew a raspberry as he got his bag from the cave, calling goodnight to the dragon as he left. Méaróg got comfortable, relighting the fire he had going previously. He didn't really need it, but he liked light.

By the time Aran reached the forge, it looked like Gobber was closing up. The older man gestured for him to follow, and Aran was led to what looked like a lumpy couch. He shrugged, determining that it was better than nothing before settling down and thanking Gobber the best he could in Norse. The two of them had a rather interesting conversation that involved a lot of charades before going to sleep. As Aran settled into his temporary bed, he found that it was much softer than it looked, and he was quite pleased by the warmth of sleeping with two shirts, a jacket, and a blanket on top of him. He couldn't wait to build his own house and live by himself, but he found that until then, he didn't mind living with Gobber.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 3,095**_

 **I have like, literally nothing to say here. Oop?**


	6. It Helps to Have a Friend

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"No."

"Wh- come on, Aran!" Hiccup practically begged.

"I'm not covering you to go out during a raid." An explosion happened outside, as if to push Aran's point as they tossed a sword to one of the vikings in line at the smithy.

"But-"

" _Ah, ah, ah! Respect your elders!_ " Aran shushed him, switching to Irish to show they were being quite serious as he handed a bola out. Hiccup wasn't even helping- he was just begging. The nerve.

" _Oh for the love of- you're only two years older than me!_ " He made to leave, but Aran easily pulled him back by his shirt.

" _Well, I'm not your only elder._ Stoick hates me enough without me letting you get yourself killed." They dumped a rather heavy axe in Hiccup's arms to prevent him from leaving. "Sharpen it, you're not leaving."

"You ask me to cover for you all the time!" Aran rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, when Gobber is here. Which he's not." They pushed him playfully. "Start sharpening!" Hiccup begrudgingly obeyed.

"You know, I liked having you around at first, but now you're just as bad as the rest of them." Aran laughed as they darted to the side before tossing a weapon to a rather large looking woman. Well, average sized for a viking, they supposed.

"Oh please, _you love me._ " They, teased, switching to Irish simply because they didn't want anyone like Stoick to overhear this side of their teasing.

Less than an hour passed, the raid ended, and Hiccup was glaring at them rather childishly for a boy of fifteen. Aran found themself whistling innocently at the younger boy's glare, having grown more than immune to it after two years on Berk. A lot had changed in those two years. One of those things was that Aran was now fluent in Norse, despite the prevalent accent. It wasn't hard to understand them, though, so they supposed it was fine. They didn't want to lose their accent if they were being honest. Everyone knew they were from Ireland, after all, so they weren't about to hide their heritage. Their old tin whistle from home was more than evidence for this, and they often found themself playing jaunty tunes from their hometown in the village center for all to enjoy. The younger Hooligans often danced around and shouted out suggestions, and late nights in Meade Hall often lead to much of the same with the older vikings. Their burn wound had been a prevalent injury for the greater part of their first year on Berk, but luckily it had healed over by then. Méaróg had been more than happy about this, and Aran quickly found their strength returning to what it had been before their fifteenth birthday. At that point, they were seventeen, rather well liked by most of the village for their strength, competence, and friendly nature. That wasn't to say that others didn't mistrust them. They were, after all, an outsider, with different views and a different religion (what's this about multiple gods? Their little village had been all about Christianity, thank you very much!), though they tried their best not to be insensitive. If they were being honest, they didn't care too much about religion, and they thought most of the viking culture was fun, if one excluded the whole dragon killing business.

"Ah, there's my favorite underling!" Came a cry from Gobber as he entered the smithy. He'd been off helping in the raid. Mostly for fun. It hadn't been a very bad one, after all. Not like some of the ones they'd been dealing with lately. "Oh, and Hiccup's still here. Good."

"Nice to know I'm appreciated." Hiccup sighed, rolling his eyes. Sometimes all the playful jabs Aran and Gobber made got to him, even if he knew they didn't really mean it.

" _You know we love you, Hiccup~!_ " Aran teased as they pranced off to hang their apron up.

"Yeah, yeah… So anyways, Gobber, I was definitely here the whole time being extremely helpful. And not trying to sneak away." Gobber barked with laughter.

"As much as I'd like to believe that, lad, yeh've got a bit of a reputation!"

"Don't worry, Gobber, I kept him out of trouble. He's still sharpening that axe I gave him half an hour ago."

"Wait, fu-!" Aran shushed him.

"Language, Hiccup. Not until you get some muscle." They teased. "Anyways, I'm off to my house. I might see you tomorrow, I might not. You know I like exploring the island."

Aran waved as they left, not leaving any time for Hiccup and Gobber to return their goodbye. As for their house, well, as soon as they'd healed up enough they had immediately requested to build a house by the cliff they'd been hiding Méaróg in. Construction had been finished for nearly half a year, thanks to Méaróg's help. Aran hadn't allowed anyone else to assist in the building, seeing as they would have likely killed their sibling on the spot. The place wasn't anything too outstanding, only boasting three rooms. One was their bedroom, where they had a mostly empty bookshelf (vikings weren't known for reading- something they had been disappointed with when compared to how their hometown had loved books) and a comfortable bed with enough room for another person. Or for Aran to sprawl across. That was their main reason for a bed so large. They really liked sprawling across it. The other rooms were the living room, which contained a fire pit, a couch, another empty bookshelf (completely barren this time), and the kitchen area. Said kitchen area was mostly just where they dumped their food. Their diet had a lot of fish, thanks to Méaróg, and they cooked a great deal of it in the fire pit. If they ever needed an oven or something of the sort, they could always ask Gobber or someone else. Their meals were eaten on the couch, usually with Méaróg nearby, as Aran had made sure the window was big enough to crawl in through.

Méaróg had their own room as well, of course. Aran had opted to make it the second floor, with the stairway being in their bedroom and not the living room. Just as a precaution. It had a large door with a patio facing out over the cliffside, for convenience. Méaróg loved their room of course (it had a large sandbox of a bed in it- what's not to love? Not to mention the toys! Well, scraps of metal and broken weapons, but that's irrelevant), but they still loved playing on the beach, and in the wilderness. They were a dragon, after all! A desert wraith, if Aran wasn't mistaken, and they often apologized for making it live somewhere so cold. Sometimes Méaróg went out for long periods of time, leaving for as long as weeks at a time, and Aran suspected it had been to get to warmer climates for a period of time. The dragon always seemed to have endless stories to tell when they got back, and Aran wished they could understand their companion.

In the event of a raid, Méaróg usually didn't stay in their, room, or in their cave on the beach. They usually perched right on top of Aran's house to protect it. After all, it was a rather easy target to get picked off, being a ways away from the village and right near a cliffside. Luckily, the secluded location meant there was little to no danger of them being spotted by humans, and they called to the dragons passing by not to attack that one house. In the beginning, they would be ignored, and the other dragons would attempt to attack, but upon realizing there was no food, they seemed to realize there was no point in trying. It seemed the dragons that raided the dragons were regulars, so word spread amongst them that the convenient house on the cliff really wasn't worth it. Still, Méaróg kept their position. Just as a precaution.

" _Méaróg, I'm home!_ " Aran called out as they reached their front door. They were quickly snatched by the shoulders and flown to the beach, where they told Méaróg about their day. This always happened after a raid. Méaróg would bring them to the beach, away from any vikings, so they could talk, and Méaróg could be soothed by the simple fact that they were safe. " _So that's how I saved Hiccup's ass. You know, one of these days, I'm going to leave him alone during a raid so I can save some of the dragons at least, and then Gobber is going to leave, and he's going to take the opportunity to get himself killed._ "

"You worry about him a lot." Méaróg crooned quietly, and the two of them sat on the cold beach in silence, letting the breeze surround them.

Eventually, the two of them returned to the house through Méaróg's window. Méaróg pawed at the sand in their sand bed until they were comfortable, half buried in it before Aran joined them. They curled up against their human sibling as they pulled out their tin whistle, playing calm tunes- lullabies. This was the routine after every raid. The raids always put Méaróg on edge, and when they were finished, they needed to be with Aran, to make sure they were safe. It was hard to fall asleep without them there after a raid, and the soft music from their whistle certainly didn't hurt. This was also one of Aran's only opportunities to practice their less upbeat tunes. It wouldn't exactly be fun to dance to a mellow lullaby, after all.

The next day, Aran helped some with the rebuilding of the town before shrugging and deciding they didn't feel like it. It wasn't as if they didn't care for the rebuilding, they were just… not impressed by the battle between man and dragon. It made them sad. After wandering the village for a while, Aran thought about their hometown, and how they used to go around helping people with trivial little things alongside Méaróg. It made them a little sad, that it wasn't like that anymore. A part of them wondered how they managed to not blame dragons, after what had happened, but then their mind drifted to Méaróg, and they knew that they could never truly blame the dragons for anything. They sighed, before they spotted Stoick the Vast in all of his glory. Aran couldn't help but frown at the man. While he was a very good chief, and great at taking care of the people, he was really just an awful father from what Aran had seen. And yet, he was the man to talk to in case one wanted to leave the island…

"Oi, Stoick!" Aran called out, and they saw him pinch the bridge of his nose at their voice, it was satisfying. "Mr. Vast, the Chief of the Hour." They tacked on as they approached.

"What do you want, Aran?" Aran smirked. They loved how easily their very existence managed to frustrate him.

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd let me leave the isle for a while, let me check out my hometown, see if anything survived." It was a frequent request they made.

"And you expect me to let you use one of our boats? Resources are scarce enough without lending an outsider one of our boats." He turned his back to them.

"Well, I'd be content just swimming there." They joked. Honestly, they wondered if they could just leave on Méaróg, but they didn't want to lose what trust they had around the village. They'd grown sort of fond of it, if they were being honest.

"You're joking." He stated flatly, as he began moving in a new direction. Aran followed.

"Well, yeah. I'd never swim all that way in these cold waters." They would fly. Not that they could say that.

"You know, I find it a bit funny that you're asking this right after a dragon raid. Something you're hiding?" Aran huffed.

"Maybe the raid reminded me that this happened to my village and I left and never went back. And my brother died. And now I'm an orphan." Of course, part of that was bullshit and they were just in the mood to play the orphan card, but it seemed like it had been pointless, because Stoick was stubborn as all fuck. Maybe they should call him Stoick the Stubborn. Alliteration!

"You and I both know you don't actually care about your family's death." Aran narrowed their eyes.

"I do, though. It just wouldn't do to dwell on it." Stoick seemed to register he'd made a mistake at least.

"I'll think about it." It was the answer he gave them every time. He never thought about it. "As long as you keep your hands off of my son." Aran almost laughed.

"Oh no, afraid of my devilish ways? Sorry to let you down, but that was still a misunderstanding. I didn't even know Norse back then." Stoick had never gotten over the whole Dancing and Dreaming thing that had happened two years ago.

"You're touchy." His voice was gruff. Aran didn't even know why they kept talking to him. They supposed it was because they actually enjoyed watching him work, and it was fun to make fun of him so casually. The only reason they could get away with it was because they were just like that with everyone.

"Yeah, I'm like that with everyone. Ladies and gents alike can't stop swooning, lemme tell ya." They laughed. "Seriously though, for the last time, I'm not trying to seduce your son. I'd rather date Ruffnut." That was mostly a lie.

Stoick laughed, and Aran decided their time with Stoick had been successful. They wandered around the village some more, not really running into anyone they were close to before deciding to return to their house to take Méaróg for a ride. The pale pink dragon was in the living room when they got home, fire pit crackling, trace bits of sand within. Aran patted them on the head, going to their room to pack their bag when they heard a knock on their door. Cursing, they urged Méaróg into their bedroom before checking their hair (it was down, reaching their shoulders) and opening said door. It was Hiccup, unsurprisingly. He was one of the only people who would come to Aran's house unannounced. They let him in wordlessly, letting him plop onto their couch near the fire. A moment of silence passed after they asked him if he wanted anything to eat. He'd said no with the angry sort of look on his face that said he really meant yes. Aran tossed him an apple as they brought a fish out to cook over the fire pit. It was from Méaróg's morning haul, so it was still fresh, considering the cold air.

"Your dad threatened me again today." Aran informed him idly as they cooked the fish. "Something about me being touchy, but I'm like that with everyone, really." Hiccup just nodded. "Anything happen today?"

"No, just the general feeling of uselessness I always feel." He provided. Aran leaned back from the fire, putting a comforting arm around Hiccup and rubbing his shoulder.

"Nobody is useless. Hey, I probably wouldn't even be around if it weren't for you." Hiccup smiled a little weakly.

"So I guess I'm useful for keeping an actually useful person around?" Aran rolled their eyes.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, you fuck."

"And you get on my case about language!" Hiccup pretended to be offended, and they laughed.

"Well, I have muscle. And that was just an example. I'm sure Gobber couldn't run the smithy without you."

"I'm sure he could find someone else. I just- I wanna **be** out there, Aran. I wanna be someone. Someone people don't look at and think 'oh no, here comes Hiccup the Useless.'" Aran sighed, squeezing his shoulder.

"I know."

"And I- I can't even prove that I'm **not** useless because no one takes me seriously because they all think I'm useless!" He threw his hands up in the air before burying his face in them.

"Well, I think if you tried to design things less about killing dragons and more about preventing damage from dragons, people would probably think you were more useful. Nothing against your weapons and devices, but the rest of the village seems to like their way better." Hiccup fell silent, and Aran wondered if that was the wrong thing to say. "Growing up is tough."

"You can say that again." Aran handed him the food that had finished, and he began to eat it. They wondered when the last time they'd eaten had been as their arm left its position around him.

"I dunno if it helps much, but I don't think you're useless."

"... Thanks."

The two of them fell silent, and Aran supposed Hiccup was probably just glad to have someone to listen to him. He probably hadn't had anyone to really confide in before Aran came along, and that was really, truly a shame. They were glad they didn't have to worry about him being alone again. That couldn't be good for someone to grow up with, if Hiccup's current anxieties were any indicator. Still, though. It helps to have a friend.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 2,906**_

 **Hiccup's terrible life is like, one of the reasons I started writing this. Like, seriously, his relationship with his dad is awful and they only person he gets along with to an extent is Gobber? He has so many issues like holy shit**


	7. Hiccup the Guy Who Can't Kill a Dragon

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Hiccup, Gobber, I'm going out!" Aran shouted behind them as they darted out of the forge in the middle of a raid.

They didn't bother waiting for a response, and they barely had time to dodge a blast of lava from a gronkle. Hiccup had been late showing up at the forge, and Aran had left as soon as he'd shown up. They glanced around, seeing Hiccup staring in admiration at the other teens his age who were throwing buckets of water at a burning building. Aran didn't really see why Hiccup thought their job was cool. It was just buckets of water, and he probably wouldn't have been able to carry a bucket full of water on his own. There was also the fact that providing weapons for the entirety of the tribe was something Aran thought was pretty cool, despite everything.

"Hey, you guys need any help?" Aran shouted to them. Astrid glared at them.

"Shouldn't you be in the forge?" She wasn't very fond of them, and if they were being honest, they weren't very fond of her either. Too serious, in their opinion. Either way, it was clear that she didn't want help from an outsider. Astrid was one of those people who didn't like them very much because they weren't from around there.

"Hiccup and Gobber have it handled." Aran shrugged before leaving, not wanting to hear any jeering from Snotlout about their relationship with Hiccup. Honestly, they were just friends.

So Aran ran around town, avoiding flames and such. Their goal was to free as many dragons as possible without anyone being suspicious of them, as it always was. Cut the bola off a nadder's feet every now and then, get a gronkle up and running, scaring off a horde of terrible terrors, and the like. Every now and then, they would run into a zippleback with its heads tangled up and have to get it out of there. Most of the dragons they saved just ran away immediately, with no harm coming to them, but occasionally some of the more paranoid dragons tried to bite a chunk of their flesh. It saddened Aran to note that they had saved some of the same few dragons multiple times. A purple nadder they had named Corcra had a breathtaking hide, and they couldn't resist naming it after such a thing. Corcra simply meant purple in their native tongue, just as Méaróg simply meant pebble. Another of the regulars was a monstrous nightmare they'd affectionately dubbed Mathilda. Mathilda was a rather mild mannered nightmare (that sounded odd and Aran immediately wanted to give all the dragons non-threatening names), coloured in bright blues and yellows. She tended to leave the main village alone, only going after the sheep in the fields. Unfortunately, her lack of a fighting nature led her into more dangerous situations than they could count. Even Méaróg recognized her, and if they spotted her as she was flying towards town they would convince her not to, insisting that if she needed food, they could help her get a large amount of fish.

"Night Fury!" Aran heard a panicked shout.

"Get down!"

A whistling sound, an explosion, and a tower was falling. Aran barely had time to cut a gronkle free from its net before it jerked out of their range in fear, spewing lava a little too close for comfort. As they continued to run around, they spotted Gobber joining the battle, and they groaned. Of course Gobber left Hiccup alone. Of course Aran had to start worrying about him now. Their eyes darted around, and they winced as they saw Stoick throw a large net over a family of nadders. They weren't Corcra, but a dragon is a dragon. There was nothing for them to do but turn their head and continue to search out Hiccup. Where would Hiccup go? The question repeated in their head as their running took them away from Hooligan Village. Hiccup had recently made a bola launcher. He would want to be somewhere he could get a clear shot of something, without being disturbed by the chaos. Somewhere like…

"Hiccup!" They gasped quietly, seeing him concentrating on aiming. They didn't want to startle him, and he didn't even notice them.

Aran's attention was brought away from Hiccup by the sound of a growl, and as they slowly turned around, they found themself face to face with a monstrous nightmare. It looked like the one Stoick had been fighting earlier, but it was possible that they were just thinking that. The one Stoick had been fighting had also been on fire, so it wasn't as if they had gotten a very good look at it. They held their hands up in a sort of sign of surrender, glad that they had slipped their knife in the inner pocket of their jacket, where it couldn't be seen. The nightmare continued the low growl, stalking towards Aran, but it seemed to realize that they meant no harm to it. It almost seemed to be speaking, but they couldn't exactly understand it. Aran slowly reached a hand out, intentions being to gently place it on the creature's snout as they had done in the past with Mathilda, but a loud sound of impact paired with a screech and Hiccup's whoop of success startled the nightmare.

"Oh I did it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?" Before Aran could register what was happening, the dragon reared up, its snout knocking them over. "Except for you." They heard Hiccup, and the next thing they were aware of was that the nightmare was chasing Hiccup through the village.

"Hiccup!" They chased after the two of them.

Unfortunately, they lost him in the crowd as other, larger vikings blocked their path. Aran caught the last of Stoick's battle with the creature and frowned. Being hit in the snout couldn't have been fun. If they ever saw the nightmare again, they would give it a fish or something. They heard Hiccup apologize to his father, and argument of sorts sprung up. Stoick was angry, but what was new? It was Hiccup's tone that made Aran upset. He was just so hopeful, and nobody would give him the time of day (well, night). It was a little sad, if they were being honest. As the crowd began to disperse, Aran could do nothing to follow as Gobber took him to his house. They would just have to talk to him tomorrow, they supposed, as they walked to their home.

" _Méaróg, I'm home._ " They called out, exhausted. Méaróg pulled them off to the beach once more.

"You look upset." They nudged them as they sat in the sand.

" _This raid was terrible. It felt like it lasted for ages._ " Aran groaned.

"I've been hearing the cry of the queen growing worse and worse. I'm glad I don't listen to any of that nonsense."

" _I just wish I knew why they're so…?_ " Aran trailed off, and Méaróg huffed. " _Hiccup almost got killed by one of those big firey ones. Maybe Mathilda's brother._ "

The two of them just sat there, Aran blabbing about whatever. It was one of those nights that Aran actually fell asleep before the two of them went back to the house, and when they woke up a few hours later, they were in Méaróg's sand bed, practically buried in the sand and under their dragon. They laughed, wriggling out of there with some effort before heading downstairs. The dragon leapt out of their balcony window before crawling in through the living room. Sure, they could have used the stairs, but that was only for dire circumstances. The windows were easier. Aran lazily bit into an apple and cooked a fish, wondering why their diet didn't consist of more varieties of things. They wanted potatoes. And bread. Huffing, they decided that was silly and selfish. They had an endless supply of fish, so they shouldn't complain.

Aran's attention was grabbed by the distant sound of a dragon screeching. It came from the forest, and Aran had to wonder if that was where the dragon Hiccup shot down was. Méaróg's spines went flat, something about the cry putting them on edge. Aran assured them they would check it out later as they finished their food. Méaróg was so antsy, however, that they ended up going as soon as they had finished eating and packing their pouch. The pouch was the same one they'd come to Berk with, albeit with some reinforcements and extra wear and tear. It contained their tin whistle, along with a sketchbook they'd managed to put together and a charcoal pencil. While Hiccup's art skills were nothing to sneeze at, it was easy to see that he devoted them to practical things, like weapon designs and the like. Aran rather enjoyed drawing out landscapes from high vantage points. They often had Méaróg fly them to a high point of Berk and sat there for hours, just drawing the scenery. Sometimes, they were so enamored by their view that they would stop Méaróg mid-flight and draw from there. They didn't let anyone see these drawings, though that was mostly because they didn't want anyone to question how they managed to draw Berk from so high up in a place nobody could reach on foot.

As Aran hoisted themself onto Méaróg, they fastened a belt around their waist. It connected them to Méaróg's saddle, so they didn't have to worry about falling off during flight. Méaróg seemed to know exactly where to go, and Aran found the dragon landing on the cliff wall of a cove. There was a dark dragon there, thrashing about slightly. Méaróg called something out to it, and it screeched again, but seemed to calm down. Aran and Méaróg took flight again, the black dragon giving off a weird sort of vibe. It seemed dangerous, but only because it was frightened, and Aran didn't trust themself to calm it down at the moment. They didn't have food with them after all. As they gained height, they thought they saw a head of brown hair in the forest, but lost sight of it almost immediately. Shrugging it off, they decided they really didn't want to be seen, so they flew to the far end of the island. Immediately upon dismounting, Méaróg tackled them. They wrestled for a while, and Aran was glad for the distraction from their thoughts. By the time they were finished, they were exhausted, and the sun was starting to set. They had Méaróg drop them off as close to town as they could make it, instructing the dragon to fly back home. They hadn't seen Hiccup all day, and they wanted to check on him after the argument he'd had with his father after shooting down the black dragon. Voices inside the front door stopped them before they had the chance to knock.

"Rephrase: dad, I **can't** kill dragons."

"But you **will** kill dragons!" Aran slowly and carefully opened the door. Neither chief nor son seemed to notice the extra sliver of moonlight, too absorbed in their conversation.

"No, I'm really, very extra sure that I won't." They wondered why the hell Hiccup was carrying an axe. Aran only gave Hiccup axes when they were trying to make sure he didn't leave the smithy during a raid.

"It's time, Hiccup." Hiccup began to shake his head.

"Can you not hear me?" His voice was starting to seem distressed, and Aran felt intrusive.

"This is serious, son." Stoick took the axe, holding it in the air like it weighed nothing. Aran would have been impressed if it wasn't Stoick. Stoick's size made it seem like a mere toy, rather than a dangerous weapon. "When you carry this axe, you carry all of us with you." He handed the axe back to Hiccup, who noticeably had more trouble holding it. The axe drooped, and Stoick straightened it up. "Which means, you walk like us." He adjusted Hiccup's stance. "You talk like us." He tapped his forehead. "You think like us. No more of… this."

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup's voice was exasperated. He was probably sick of being told that all the time. Everyone constantly seemed to be telling him that he should stop being who he was, and while he would like to be someone else, it's not like he could just pray to the gods and be the perfect viking the next day.

"Deal?"

"This conversation is feeling very one sided." Aran quietly closed the door, sneaking around to Hiccup's room and sneaking in. They could still hear them from here, and they didn't want to have to sneak past Stoick and up the stairs. Unfortunately, they couldn't hear Hiccup's next response, but context clues pointed to him probably saying something like 'Deal…'

"Good." There was a pause. "Train hard. I'll be back." Another pause. "Probably." They had a sad relationship, Aran thought.

"And I'll be here." Stoick left. "Maybe…"

Hiccup slowly trudged up to his room, weighed down by the axe. Of course he would get his wish now that he didn't want to kill dragons. Now that he had seen them in a different light. Hiccup just had the worst luck, didn't he? His only consolation was that he wouldn't have to see his father for a while. He opened the door to his room, not really registering his surroundings until after putting the axe somewhere. If he was being honest, he wasn't planning on using it, ever. His meeting with the night fury lingered on his mind, weighing him down and confusing him.

" _Tough night, huh?_ " Aran's voice asked casually from where they were lounging on his bed, and Hiccup jumped a little, not having noticed they were here.

"You could say that again…" He grumbled, not responding in Irish despite them having started the conversation in Irish. Sometimes, they had conversations where they would just speak their native languages. Other times, they would have conversations where they spoke each other's native languages. It was interesting, to say the least.

" _What was that conversation about? I didn't hear anything before you said you can't kill dragons._ " Hiccup's cheeks heated up. He couldn't really understand what there was to be embarrassed about. Aran themself had never been hostile towards the dragons, so he doubted they would flip out if he told them the truth, but…

"Nothing, I guess I'm just scared to start dragon training. I thought I would never get to do it, but here I am. It starts in the morning." Aran narrowed their eyes at the lie.

" _I thought you always wanted to do that, though._ "

"Knowing me, I'll just end up messing everything up…" He grumbled. Aran shifted on the bed, sitting up instead of lying down. They patted the spot next to them, and Hiccup realized he was still standing.

" _You'll be fine. If it makes you feel better, I think Gobber is probably making me do it. He seems to think I'd be good at it._ " They laughed, but Hiccup couldn't see what was so funny. " _We haven't talked since before the raid._ " Aran commented.

"I shot down a night fury, but no one believes me." His voice was quiet.

" _Well, I can vouch for you. I saw you shoot it down._ " Hiccup looked at them in surprise.

"You were there?"

" _Yeah. You got so excited you almost got me killed by that monstrous nightmare I was trying to keep away from you at the time._ " There was no malice in their words.

"Oh…" Hiccup had wanted to be happy that someone believed him, but his mind flicked back to the image of the night fury tied up by his bola, eyes slit as it stared at him, daring him to kill it. He remembered the way the dragon gave up, dropping its head to the ground in surrender. He remembered how pitiful it had looked, and he remembered how much it made him think of himself. He couldn't have killed it.

" _I explored the forest a bit, today. I think I saw it. The night fury. It's in a cove._ " Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Yeah. I know." They were silent for a while.

" _When I saw it, it wasn't tied up. Is that why you can't kill dragons?_ "

"Wh- no, it was probably just… It probably just freed itself. I don't know why it hasn't flown away, I didn't get too close."

" _Part of the tail fin might be missing. I didn't see the shape too well because it was thrashing about._ "

"Oh." Hiccup felt a little sick. He did this.

" _... I know you're not telling me the full truth._ " Hiccup didn't look at them. " _But I won't push you._ " They stood from his bed. " _I just want you to know that if you need to talk, I'm not going to judge you. I have a few secrets of my own that you might be surprised to hear._ "

As they left, Hiccup could only wonder what they were talking about. He fell back on his bed, exhausted. The past few days had been a lot. He just wanted to sleep for a while, but he knew he would have to suffer through the dragon training for the next stretch of time. Hopefully he could just lie low. Astrid or Snotlout could get all the credit - they could kill the dragon at the end. It would probably be Astrid. She had the brawn _and_ the brains to take anything down. He sighed. He would never be like her. He would just be Hiccup the Useless. Hiccup the Coward. Hiccup the Guy Who Can't Kill a Disabled Dragon. He had a hard time falling asleep that night.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 2,971**_

 **The end of this chapter actually makes me really sad when I reread it**

 **Also, if you're wondering about the whole thing with Mearog just flat out ignoring the Green Death as their queen, due to them growing up surrounded by only humans, they filled that role with Aran's mother. They viewed Aran's mother as the 'queen' for their life up until she disappeared, and now the role of queen has sorta passed down to Aran? It's kinda weird, but I just don't really see why a dragon who's never heard the Green Death's cry would hasten to obey her. Their view of what a queen is comes off as very vague in their mind, and so they sorta just... yeah**


	8. Welcome to Dragon Training!

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Welcome to dragon training!" Gobber exclaimed as he raised the gate of the arena. Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs followed close behind, looking around the arena in some form of awe.

"I hope I get some **serious** burns." Tuffnut was the first to speak.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder, or lower back." Ruffnut's preferences differentiated from her brother's, and she voiced them.

"Yeah. It's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid agreed.

"Yeah, no kidding right? Pain… love it!" Hiccup tried to join as he walked into the arena, followed by Aran, who rolled their eyes.

"Oh great, who let him in?" Tuffnut shot back immediately.

"Let's get started!" Gobber interrupted. "The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon, in front of the entire village." He said, waving his arm around.

"Hiccup already killed a night fury, so… does that disqualify him, or…" Snotlout joked.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool vikings?" Tuffnut asked as he turned around with the majority of the group, walking away from where Hiccup, Aran, and Gobber stood at the entrance. Aran didn't miss how Hiccup's shoulders sagged.

"Don't worry, you're small and you're weak. That will make you less of a target!" Gobber tried to comfort Hiccup as he put a large hand on his shoulder to lead him towards the group. Aran followed behind. "They'll see you as sick or insane, and go after the more viking-like teens instead." He laughed quietly, an odd thing for Gobber, before patting him and separating. Aran stood beside him as all the recruits lined up.

"Actually, being small and weak looking would make the animal think you're an easier target and more likely to go after you rather than like, Snotlout or something. Do you think a monstrous nightmare would be more likely to try and pick off one of the twins or Stoick the Vast?" Aran commented idly to group, and they saw Hiccup's shoulders sag. Oops. They dropped their voice to whisper to him as Gobber began talking to the group. "Sorry, I just think you should prepare for what we're being put up to."

"Deadly Nadder." Gobber had begun naming off dragons.

"Speed eight, armor sixteen." Fishlegs shot off. Aran decided to think up new names for the species. In Irish, of course. And quietly.

" _Hmm… Tropical Spinetail._ "

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth times two."

" _Twin Trickster?_ " It wasn't as good as tropical spinetile, but sometimes you have moments of genius, and other times you don't. Hiccup was giving them an odd look, but they avoided his eyes.

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower fifteen."

" _Blazing Salamander._ " Oooh, that one was good.

"The Terrible Terror."

"Attack eight, venom twelve!"

"Can you stop that!" Gobber shouted.

"... _Mischievous Bravesnout._ " Aran muttered under their breath. Hiccup almost laughed, and their lips quirked up into a smile.

"And, the Gronkle." He had a hand on the lever.

"Jaw strength eight." Fishlegs whispered to Hiccup as Snotlout nervously stepped out of the line.

"Woah, woah, wait. Aren't you gonna teach us first?"

"I believe in learning on the job."

He pulled the lever up and released the gronkle, yet somehow the only thing on Aran's mind was that he pulled the lever up instead of down. Who designs a lever like that? They stood there without moving for a bit. None of Gobber's words were even really registering as they watched the dragon fly around out of the corner of their eye, gaze still fixed on the lever and wondering about it. Everyone was scrambling to get a shield, but they just sort of stood off to the side of the arena, leaning harmlessly against the wall. Gobber was shouting a bunch of stuff at all of them, but Aran wasn't really listening. Their head was starting to hurt from the other teens banging on their gronckle spotted them, shooting lava at them, but they easily stepped to the side to lean on a different piece of wall, even further from the shields they hadn't bothered to pick up. The dragon gave them a weird look before seeming to determine that they weren't a threat and going off to focus on the other vikings. Aran noted Astrid giving them a weird look. A moment of panic ran through them as Hiccup got backed against a wall on the complete opposite side of the arena from them. Luckily, Gobber got there in the nick of time. Aran made a mental note to try and pay more attention and prevent Hiccup from getting killed. They hadn't been doing a very good job at that lately.

"And that makes six!" Gobber exclaimed as he wrestled the gronkle back into its pen. "Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry." After locking the door, he turned back to the recruits. Aran had helped Hiccup to his feet. "Remember… A dragon will always, always go for the kill."

Hiccup had a weird look on his face, and quietly excused himself from practice. Aran had a pretty good suspicion as to where he was going, so they shouted that they think they left their fire pit unattended before running home. They shouted for Méaróg and as soon as their sibling had appeared, hopped on the saddle, buckling themself in and instructing that they fly to the cove they'd discovered the previous day. The two of them perched on top of the wall, out of sight. Aran saw Hiccup from across the cove, and quickly moved to one of his blind spots. They saw him watch the injured night fury try to climb out of the cove, noticed him sketch the dragon out in his sketch book before realizing that one of the tail fins was missing and smearing it off. He dropped his charcoal stick, making the night fury's head snap up to look at Hiccup. They made eye contact, and Aran urged Méaróg to fly them back home at that point.

Later that night, Aran was sitting in Meade Hall with the rest of the teens. It was dark and stormy out, but the great hall was warm and dry. They hummed quietly as they discussed what had gone wrong in the arena. Someone mentioned that they hadn't done anything. Aran shot back that their goal was to survive, and the gronckle hadn't put them in danger like it had the others, so they must have done something right. Gobber admitted that while yes, they had done a fine job surviving, that sort of surviving wasn't very helpful when the goal turns to killing. Aran just shrugged. They noticed the doors of the great hall open a little, the sounds of the storm increasing before being muffled once more. Hiccup had walked in, sopping wet. The group was talking about what Astrid did wrong in the rink up until the point when he got his plate of food and moved to walk to the other table. Aran got up and followed him.

"Where did Hiccup go wrong?"

"Uh, he showed up?" Ruffnut provided.

"He didn't get eaten." Tuffnut joked.

"He's never where he should be."

"Thank you, Astrid!" Gobber exclaimed as Hiccup sat down at the empty table, Aran beside him. They didn't like having an entire tables space apart from people. It was a bit much. "You need to live and breathe this stuff." He held a book up. "The dragon manual." He pushed plates aside to plop the book on the table the majority of the group was sitting at. "Everything we know about every dragon we know of." The sounds of the storm raged outside. "No attacks tonight. Study up." He instructed as he walked away.

"Wait, you mean read?" Tuffnut sounded shocked.

"While we're still alive?" Ruffnut sounded more shocked.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout voiced his opinion.

"Oh, I've read it like seven times, there's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face and, and there's this other one that buries itself for like a week-"

"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was gonna read that…"

"But now…" Ruffnut continued from her brother.

"You guys read, I'll go kill stuff." Snotlout walked out of the hall with everyone else following.

"So, I guess we'll share?" He asked as he approached Astrid. Aran followed him to the table, as it was where Gobber had put the book after all.

"Read it." She informed him as she pushed it away and followed the others out.

"All ours then, wow, so okay, I'll see you-" The door slammed behind her. "Tomorrow." Hiccup sighed.

"What an _asshole_." Aran huffed, sitting at the table, flipping open the book.

"She's not- I mean, she's…" His cheeks flushed pink, and Aran laughed.

"Just because she's cute doesn't mean she can't be a _bitch_."

"Why do you always cuss in Irish?" They shrugged.

"Sounds better."

"Let's wait to read until everyone is gone. Don't need them thinking I'm even more of a nerd than I am."

" _Ah, but you're my nerd and I love you~!_ " Aran poked him on the nose and Hiccup made a strange face, shoving their arm away.

"You know, that's why my dad doesn't like you." They rolled their eyes, laughing.

"I'm like that with all my friends, though. Not that many people here are cool enough to be my friends." They stated, bringing out their sketchbook and flipping it to the latest page. They tended to do sketches while they were in the air, and fill in the details in their own time from what they remembered.

"Is that Berk?" Hiccup asked, looking over their shoulder. They didn't really mind him seeing their art. Sure, it would be hard explaining how they drew the thing, but they were sure that Hiccup would be much liberal in his views about dragons now.

"It's supposed to be, at least." They carefully began to do the strokes of the tree's branches and needles.

"How'd you get that angle?" He tilted his head.

"Maybe I flew."

They didn't elaborate, and the two of them sat in silence, Hiccup watching them draw. Sometimes he showed them his drawings, though most of them consisted of weapon designs. Hours passed, and the lighting grew dim. Nobody else was in the great hall, and after Aran had decided it was too dark to keep drawing, they'd begun to doze off. When they woke up, they noticed that Hiccup was flipping through the book of dragons, candle on the table for light. Aran wasn't sure if the drawings on the pages were moving, or if it was a trick of the light. Hiccup was muttering to himself, saying things about whatever the dragon he was looking at would do to its victims. Aran hummed.

"Extremely dangerous, kill on sight, hmm…" Hiccup jumped slightly at their voice, and he stopped at a very blank page that read 'NIGHT FURY' at the top.

"How long have you been awake?" They waved their hand lazily.

"Maybe a couple minutes. Keep going, I like hearing all the different ways dragons can kill me." Aran smiled lazily.

"Huh…" There was a pause. "Night Fury. Speed, unknown. Size, unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: hide and pray it does not find you."

"Seems a bit exaggerated to me." They remarked. Hiccup nodded slightly, pulling his sketchbook out. He opened to a page, gently laying it on top of the empty pages.

"Hmm, that looks like the one I saw in the cove." Aran commented idly. They knew Hiccup knew that they knew what it was. They both knew. "... If you stopped hiding things from me, maybe I would be able to stop hiding things from you, you know."

Hiccup met their offer with silence. After a little while longer, Hiccup pocketed the smaller book with his drawing in it, and the two of them left Meade Hall. The next day in training, the teens were up against the tropical spinetail, as Aran liked to call it. It was a fun name. As much as they liked the word 'nadder,' the deadly part was just a tad intimidating, and they rather thought the dragon looking like a weird sort of bird. This time, Aran was making sure to keep close to Hiccup. They wished he would save his night fury questions for another time, though. They were kind of distracting and putting him in more danger than he needed to be in. Astrid, Snotlout, and Aran easily rolled past where the spinetail was without it noticing, but Hiccup was unfortunately rather ill-suited for such an act. His shield weighed him down, and Aran had to pull him out of his way and onto his feet before he could be made into lunch. Unfortunately, the dragon had still seen him, and she was now chasing after them. A small mishap with Snotlout ("The sun was in my eyes!"), and she was crashing into a wall whilst trying to chase Astrid down. The entire maze was falling down, yet Hiccup was still standing there and trying to talk to Gobber. Astrid leapt on the walls, trying to get down before they fell out from under her. Upon reaching where Hiccup was standing like an idiot, Astrid shouted his name, and he froze up instead of moving out of the way. Aran pushed him out of the way (she has an **axe** , Hiccup, focus!) before blocking the weapon with the center, metal part of the shield. The axe bounced off of it with a clang that made their ears ring as she fell on top of Aran, and as the dragon charged towards her, she managed to get up and hit it on the snout. With the flat part of her axe. Aran thanked God for it being the flat part of the axe. The spinetail turned away, whining in pain at its sensitive snout being hit with hard metal. She stumbled off towards her pen as Gobber shouted some words of encouragement to Astrid, and Astrid wheeled on Hiccup. Aran was helping him to his feet at the time.

"Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parent's war is about to become ours, figure out which side you're on." As she turned to walk away, Aran glared at her.

"It's not like he was actively attacking us. You may blame him for being a bad viking, or being weak, but you can't just throw out accusations that he's helping the dragons." Aran stated firmly, crossing their arms. Their words felt kind of empty to them, as they knew Hiccup was probably not wanting to harm the dragon anyways, but the way Astrid was thinking made absolutely no sense.

"Well you're hardly one to talk. You didn't even grab a shield for the gronckle lesson!" Her frustration was now concentrated on them instead of Hiccup. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but you don't seem to realize that the dragons aren't on our side! They steal our cattle, they burn our houses, and they kill our families! They killed your brother, and your entire village, didn't they?" Aran shrugged.

"Maybe they're just hungry. I just don't think there's any reason to blame Hiccup for this mess." They gestured to the wrecked arena and vaguely registered that Gobber had walked in. "If anything, it was Snotlout's fault for trying to flirt while there's a dragon on the loose."

"My fault!? The twins were the ones who-"

"Oh shut it, Hiccup is the one who-"

"Oi, kids! It was all your faults! Go home, you're giving me a headache."

Gobber waved them all off, but Astrid and Aran maintained a glare before she huffed and walked out. Hiccup and Aran were the last to leave the arena, and Hiccup was quickly making up some excuse to go off to the cove. Aran just smiled in amusement and let him go. They were sure Hiccup knew they knew what he was up to, but they decided that he could tell them when he wanted to. That didn't stop them from following him to cove after fetching Méaróg, of course. After parting ways, Aran rushed off to their house as Hiccup rushed off to grab a fish before going to the forest. Due to him stopping to get a fish, Aran actually arrived before Hiccup. They stopped in the spot above the cove they knew Hiccup wouldn't be able to see them from before dismounting and starting to sketch out the cove. Might as well do something besides spy on the boy and the dragon like a weirdo, right?

Aran was alerted to Hiccup's arrival by the sound of him getting his shield stuck between two rocks. They almost laughed. What the hell was the shield for? Why didn't he walk sideways if he'd been planning to take a shield with him? He was holding a fish very carefully as he walked into the cove. His steps were cautious, eyes wary, but that did nothing to help him notice the night fury watching him, almost as if it were hunting, from the top of a pile of rocks. The black dragon stalked down from where it was, and Hiccup gasped when he turned around and saw its big green eyes looking at him. It got closer, cautious, as Hiccup gingerly held out the fish. The poor thing was probably starving, considering the fact that it couldn't fly and hunt. It approached, mouth slowly opening to reveal gums, before retreating upon seeing a knife Hiccup had concealed in his vest. As Hiccup moved to touch the knife, completely revealed this time, the night fury growled. He gingerly picked it up by the handle, dropping it to the ground, but the dragon wasn't satisfied until he kicked it into the water. It immediately dropped its wings, sitting up like a dog, pupils widening. Aran had to cover their mouth because that was a cuteness they weren't prepared for. As Hiccup held the fish out again, the dragon approached once more, opening its mouth and revealing gum for a second time.

"Huh, toothless. I could've sworn you had-" Retractable teeth popped out as the dragon suddenly snatched the fish from his hands. Hiccup gasped in surprise and anxiousness as the dragon tilted its head back and devoured the fish. It licked its lips, and Hiccup held his hands together nervously. "Teeth." The dragon backed him against a rock, looking expectant, and Hiccup stammered over his words. "Uh, no no. No, I don't have any more!"

The two maintained an uncomfortable eye contact for a tense moment, but it was pointless, because in the end the dragon just wound up regurgitating half of the fish onto Hiccup's lap. Hiccup made a clear sound of disgust, but the night fury just sat back on its feet, expectantly. The two made eye contact again, this time less dangerously, and the dragon's eyes flicked down to the fish. Aran could only assume that the night fury had decided that Hiccup was a scrawny little kid that it felt responsible for feeding, despite the fact that Hiccup was the one who brought the fish in the first place. Hiccup realized what he was expected to do and resigned to his fate. He bit into the raw fish, making sounds of fake enjoyment. Aran wished they could see him up close. His eyes were probably watering. The dragon insisted on him swallowing, after seeing his rather chipmunk-like cheeks, and Aran had to resist laughing. Hiccup resisted the urge to puke, and forced a smile at the night fury, who tried its best to copy the facial gesture.

Hiccup's attempt to pet the thing failed, however, and it bared teeth at Hiccup before somewhat awkwardly half-flying to the other side of the cove. Aran backed away slightly, not wanting the dragon to spot them. Luckily, it didn't seem to be concerned with anything like that as it burned the ground and nestled down, curling up. A bird flying from its nest overhead caught its attention, and its ears stood up in curiosity. When it looked back down, it was rather unimpressed to see Hiccup, and blocked his view of its face with its remaining tail fin and the wing closer to the human. Hiccup reached over to touch its tail, but the dragon lifted tail, and Hiccup quickly got up, feigning innocence as he wandered away. It was cute, and Aran let a smile make its way onto their face. The dragon walked in the opposite direction, and Aran returned to their sketch of the cove, adding Hiccup and the dragon to it.

Glancing up at the sky, they noticed that it was pleasantly pink and blue, and the dragon was hanging from a tree by its tail as Hiccup drew in the dirt with a stick. The dragon walked over, curious about the shapes he was making in the dirt, and Hiccup faltered, nervously continuing after realized he had an audience. Hiccup's head shot up upon hearing the sound of something breaking, and noticed that the night fury had fetched a tree branch. It began dragging patterns in the dirt, accidentally hitting Hiccup on the head with the leafy part of the branch. Aran's grin grew upon seeing that the mass of scribbly lines was intended to be Hiccup's face, and they quickly added that to their drawing, smudging out where Hiccup and the dragon's positions had been before. This was cuter.

They watched Hiccup look at the scribbles in wonder, not realizing exactly what they were supposed to be. He stepped on a line by mistake, and received a growl. Upon lifting his foot, the dragon crooned quietly, content. Hiccup tested the line, putting his foot down and lifting it, seeing the dragon's repeated response, before stepping past it, onto unmarked ground. The dragon watched him as he spun around, stepping in the 'safe' parts of the drawing, and Aran watched on with a quiet smile, feeling that this was a special moment that they were blessed to bear witness to. Hiccup found his back to the dragon's standing form, and he turned around, backing away a little startled. He reached a hand out, maintaining eye contact as he made to pet the dragon. It growled at him, and he retracted his arm, looking away before repeated the same motion, not actively placing his hand on its snout, but waiting for it to meet him halfway.

The black dragon stared at him, eyes wide, and curious, slightly confused as to what the human wanted. He looked away, his hand outstretched, pink light bathing them in a soft glow. It was an act of complete trust, throwing away all defenses. His knife was at the bottom of the pond, his shield stuck between two rocks, and now with his head turned away he wouldn't even see if the dragon made to attack him. He put his life completely at the night fury's mercy, like its life had been in his hands when they first met. But the boy had come back, not to harm it, but to provide food. There was no violence in his actions, and he was unlike anything the dragon had ever met before. The complete trust in the act of putting his hand out to the dragon had a feeling swell in its chest that it had never felt before, and its eyes seemed as if they could grow no wider. In that moment, the dragon knew there was nothing this small, frail, outcast of a human boy would ever do to harm it. In that moment, the dragon felt that it could let down its defense, and its eyes slid closed. With a gentle press forward, a slight hesitation, its snout pressed against the unfamiliar and soft hand, and the dragon felt as if it had found home for the first time in its life.

Hiccup looked up at the dragon, and just like that, the spell seemed to break. It shook its head, eyes forming slits again, paired with a quiet growl as it left him. It seemed like a good time as any to leave, though Aran noted that Hiccup stayed there, looking starstruck. It wasn't surprising. Aran had felt their chest swell up just from watching the two of them, let alone actually being one of them. They didn't want to talk about it with him just yet, but they wouldn't definitely bring the topic of his dragon friend up later. As they flew off gently to their house, they couldn't help but think the sort of dragon training Hiccup had been up to was much more fun than the one Gobber had them doing.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,166_**

 **This was a really nice, pleasant chapter to write after the last one ended on such a sad note.**

 **Also, with all the editing I was doing, I accidentally deleted my response to a guest review that was on the chapter before this, oops. Here it is again!**

 **MMM: wow pretty good story what about Astrid will Aran compete with her for hiccup?**

 **Reply: Probably not really like competing because I don't really feel like either of them are pursuing him? Aran just kinda naturally ends up with him after a while. Astrid and Aran do butt heads a lot but it really doesn't have much to do with Hiccup at all haha. I ship Astrid with Heather (from the show) so like, I'm probably gonna have her show interest in Hiccup for a short amount of time before pairing her with Heather, and... Heather can also date Fishlegs. Heather is allowed to date both of them that's fine and dandy. And you better believe Aran'll be third wheelin' it so hard that Astrid won't get as much of an opportunity to get that attached to Hiccup lmao**

 **Fun fact: this is the longest chapter yet**


	9. Improvements

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

All of the recruits were on a tower, crowded around Gobber as he did a dramatic retelling of how he lost his limbs. Fishlegs wondered about if Gobber had still been in control of his arm, he could have strangled the dragon from the inside. Snotlout was emotional as he ate, claiming he would avenge Gobber's lost limbs by cutting off every dragon's limbs with his face. Gobber shot back that what he should really go for are the wings, and tails. A downed dragon is a dead dragon. Aran didn't miss the look on Hiccup's face as he stealthily left the tower. Gobber told them all to get some sleep, and Astrid seemed to have noticed Hiccup's disappearance as well. She checked the direction he'd left in, but couldn't see him and quickly gave up on that pursuit, returning to the group, where Tuffnut was claiming his new tattoo was a birthmark.

Aran stated that, as much as he loved hanging out with the others (it wasn't a lie; their interactions were amusing and often left him grinning), his house was kind of on a far-off cliff and he should probably start heading home. He'd waited a bit after Hiccup had left, so people wouldn't be suspicious. The two of them already had to deal with enough dirty looks because people assumed their relationship was more than platonic, and he didn't want to make that even worse. Of course, instead of going to his own house, Aran snuck off to Hiccup's room. After determining that he wasn't there, he went to the second most likely place to find his friend- the smithy. His suspicions were proved correct as he spotted Hiccup crafting something. The younger boy didn't seem to notice him at first, so Aran went to where Hiccup's notebook was. It seemed he'd added the missing tail fin back onto his drawing of the night fury.

"A-Aran!" Hiccup exclaimed when he returned to the room at the back of the stall. Aran smiled at him, waving.

"Hiccup!" Was his cheery response.

"W-what are you doing? Here?" He awkwardly tried to hide things behind his back. It didn't work.

"Hmm, well, you left so suddenly after Gobber said a downed dragon was a dead dragon, and you had this look on your face, so I figured I'd give you some company while you make a fake tail fin for your dragon friend." Aran finally breached the subject of Hiccup's night fury.

"Haha, what, dragon friend? That's-" He saw the look in Aran's eyes and sighed. "Alright, fine, fine. That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm making him a new tailfin. Please don't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone?" Aran laughed. "Why would I tell anyone? They'd kill him. And it's such a shame, too. He's really very cute." Aran idly took the sketchbook out of his pouch he always carried around. "Remember when you drew his face in the dirt and he broke a branch off a tree to draw a bunch of scribbles?" Hiccup blinked.

"You were there for that?" Aran laughed again, and Hiccup's cheeks flushed pink.

"You're not exactly the most discreet. I've probably seen you every time you've been in the cove with him." He flipped to the page of his sketchbook, the one that showed his drawing of the cove, with Hiccup and Toothless standing in the midst of a large amount of scribbles.

"... Wow."

"He tried to draw your face, in return for you drawing his." Hiccup gasped.

"That's- He's a genius! I didn't expect him to actually recognize his own face!" Aran laughed again.

"It was cute. And I almost cried when he let you touch his snout. It was really a beautiful moment." Hiccup let himself laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, sure." He got to working on the tailfin, the design set up in front of them. "Can you keep watch? Make sure no one comes in?"

"Sure thing, dragon boy." Aran saluted, and Hiccup groaned.

"If you're gonna call me that, at least do it in Irish."

" _Sure thing, dragon boy!_ " He repeated, this time in his native language.

Hiccup worked late into the night, Aran keeping him awake with his rambling. He watched him fasten iron pieces, and work with leather. It was honestly fascinating to watch, and after a while, Aran pulled out his tin whistle, playing some of his more subdued melodies. After a while, his fingers subconsciously moved to the position of the song that got him kicked out of Hiccup's house and begun Stoick's dislike towards him. Hiccup's shoulders tensed after hearing the first few notes, and the two of them made eye contact before Aran apologized. There was a moment of silence before Hiccup sighed. Aran raised a brow, and Hiccup's focus seemed to be on the tailfin. His face was hidden from him as he spoke.

"It's just a song. You can play it." Aran squinted.

"You know, Hiccup, you and Stoick have always made it seem like it's more than just a song." He commented. Hiccup's shoulders hadn't relaxed, and he hadn't done anything more in terms of making the tailfin.

"..."

"Just… Keep working, I'm going to play something else."

So he did. The air between them wasn't particularly comfortable, but after a while, with the sounds of Hiccup's work punctuating Aran's music, they relaxed. Hiccup worked late into the night, and Aran almost fell asleep several times. At some point, he really did doze off, and didn't wake up until he felt Hiccup shake him awake. The scrawny teen stated that he was planning on going to see Toothless that morning, to feed him and get the tailfin fastened. Aran blinked several times, yawning and stretching before offering to get him a substantial amount of fish. It wasn't quite daylight yet, and Hiccup had to admit that he hadn't been sure where he was going to get the fish on his own, so he accepted the offer. They agreed to meet up in about an hour, close to the cove, but not in it.

Aran dashed off to his house, waving goodbye to Hiccup. When he reached home, he called out for Méaróg, who immediately tackled him. There was a short bout of wrestling between them before Aran explained that Hiccup was trying to fix the fallen night fury's tail, and that Aran had offered to get him a large amount of fish. Méaróg was more than eager to help, and the two of them soon had more than enough fish. Aran doubted Hiccup would even be able to carry the basket, so he he made sure it wasn't too much for himself either. Méaróg carried the large fish basket for the trip to the meeting place, dropping Aran off far enough so that Hiccup couldn't see the dragon. He didn't want Hiccup to know about Méaróg just yet. It might put a damper on his self esteem. So, he simply carried the large basket a short distance.

"That's… a lot of fish." Hiccup sounded surprised as he opened the top of the basket. He had the tailfin under his arm. Aran shrugged.

"I had some help from a friend." He explained vaguely, and the two of them walked to the cove.

"Hey, Toothless." Hiccup called out in an almost song-like manner. "I brought breakfast." He gestured to Aran who had been following closely behind. "I hope you're hungry."

Aran put the basket down before kicking it over, the fish spilling out onto the ground. Toothless stared at him, nostrils flaring slightly as he sniffed in his general direction. Something about him seemed to let him know that Aran was safe though, and he quickly ignored the freckled boy. Hiccup made a face at the fish, muttering about how that was disgusting before naming the kinds of fish he saw and slowly making his way around Toothless, to his tail. Unfortunately, Toothless started growling as soon as the eel was mentioned, and Aran had to wonder how the hell an **eel** managed to get into the basket without Méaróg noticing. Hiccup threw the eel towards the lake in a sort of panic, and Aran snorted a little.

"Méaróg hates eels. Dunno how that got there, sorry." Hiccup rolled his eyes, waving them off.

Hiccup's attempts to attach Toothless's new tail were amusing, to say the least. Due to the distraction of the food, Toothless wasn't staying completely still, and Hiccup wound up on top of the tail, trying to get the fin attached without him throwing him off. Aran couldn't help but laugh, especially with Hiccup talking to himself as he worked. As soon as he started successfully attaching the tail, however, Toothless was alert. The dragon seemed to register that something had been added to his tail, a familiar weight replaced, and Aran didn't have time to warn Hiccup before Toothless had suddenly taken flight. Fearing for his friend's life, Aran had been about to call Méaróg over, but Hiccup seemed to be working with the tail, and him and Toothless had a very short flight before Toothless flung him off, into the water. The dragon clearly hadn't realized that Hiccup was the one adjusting his artificial tailfin, however, and soon joined the boy, crashing into the water as well.

Hiccup didn't seem put off by this at all, only letting out an elated whoop. He laughed, trudging off to where Aran was, the previously discarded eel draped around his shoulders somehow. Aran couldn't help but laugh at him, and the two of them made their way out of the cove. Gears were turning in Hiccup's head, and Aran could tell that, while his intentions had originally been to fix his mistake, the adrenaline of being in the air had swayed his plan. Aran suggested making a saddle, and Hiccup nodded before becoming so absorbed in his thoughts he nearly ran into a tree. It was endearing, and Aran made sure he made it back into town before instructing him to go dry off before he did any inventing.

The next time they were in dragon training, all Aran could really think about was how 'twin trickster' was nowhere near as good a name as 'tropical spinetail,' 'blazing salamander,' or 'mischievous bravesnout' and that was really quite disappointing. Yes, the teens were up against the hideous zippleback, armed with buckets of water. Aran thought back to a previous thought he'd had, back when Hiccup was hell bent on killing a dragon. He'd idly thought he probably wouldn't be able to carry a bucket of water, like the others were doing to put fires out. It seemed he'd only been half correct. Hiccup was capable of carrying the bucket, but just barely. Unfortunately, with Aran the group was the uneven number of seven, so everyone had a partner except for him. Something about Astrid not trusting him, or really any of them, but Ruffnut was fine because… girl power or something. Tuffnut was with Snotlout, because Snotlout decided he was the next best person to be paired with after Astrid. Fishlegs had latched onto Hiccup, probably because they just happened to be close to each other. Aran just sort of prayed for the best.

Smoke filled the arena, and it was rather difficult to see anything. Mishaps occurred, including Snotlout and Tuffnut throwing their water at Astrid and Ruffnut. Ruffnut had immediately responded in kind, and Astrid's bucket was wasted when the dragon's tail tripped her and Ruffnut. Fishlegs wound up throwing his water at the wrong head, something that was clear when he was being covered in green gas. Gobber shouted his name in concern as Fishlegs scrambled away, and Hiccup was face to face with the zippleback. The other head approached, ready to spark and set off the inevitable explosion, and it was the perfect opportunity for Hiccup to wet the correct head, but… His water fell short. The dragon almost seemed to laugh at him as it snapped its jaws, toying with the clearly defenseless viking. Aran and Gobber started forward, but before Aran could do anything to help, like, oh, I don't know, maybe throwing the water at the right head, the dragon seemed to be backing away.

Hiccup was waving them back to their pen, and everyone had a look of confusion on their face. It wasn't until Aran remembered that Hiccup still had the eel from the lake that the situation made any sense to him. He had to suppress his giggles as Hiccup forced the dragon away, throwing the eel into the pen before closing the gate. Everyone stared at him, and he looked slightly panicked before he saw Aran trying to hold back laughter. Hiccup awkwardly excused himself, Aran chasing after him with a very Irish ' _Hiccup, wait up!_ ' as the rest of the group continued to be confused. The two of them wound up in the smithy once more, with Aran rambling, drawing in his sketchbook, and playing music as Hiccup worked on his designs.

It seemed he'd taken Aran's suggestion of a saddle into consideration, because that was exactly what he was making. The smile on his face as he worked brought a smile to Aran's face as well, because despite knowing Hiccup for the two years he'd been on the island, and being his self-proclaimed best friend, Hiccup wasn't much of a smiler. Sure, he would smile all the time, awkwardly, trying to convince himself that the situation was fine, and that he didn't care what people were saying about him. Sure, he would joke about any serious situation he was in, pretending all the disapproving looks didn't mean anything to him. But, if the days he spent at Aran's house venting about his insecurities meant anything, it was pretty clear that a lot of his smiles were hollow. This smile, though. The smile he had on his face as he moved the needle through leather. This was a real, genuine smile. It was nice.

Hiccup tested out his new saddle the next day, Aran in tow, and wound up chasing Toothless around as he tried to put the saddle on him. It was overly playful, and Aran had to help him keep Toothless still long enough for him to get on it. They went on a test flight above the lake of the cove, but it didn't last long, and the two of them fell apart. Hiccup concluded that holding a string and pulling it to change the angle of the tail fin wasn't the best idea. He thought of solutions, and tied the string to his foot instead. That didn't work very well either, and they crashed into a meadow of soft grass. After panicking slightly, Hiccup saw Toothless rolling around in the grass, almost purring.

Taking some of the grass with him saved his life in the arena as the teens were pit against the gronckle again. It had charged towards him, but stopped short upon smelling the grass he held out in his hand. Rubbing it on the big reptile's nose resulted in it falling over, and Aran cheered for him a little. As the group left the arena after that day's training, everyone was excitedly asking Hiccup questions. He made the excuse of having left his axe in the ring, and that he would catch up with them later. Everyone looked at Aran as he turned to follow, and he shrugged.

"As his best friend, I have special access to the answers to his questions." He grinned before dashing off to follow him.

Aran followed Hiccup back to the cove, where the saddle lay on the ground as Hiccup scratched his reptilian friend all over. A spot under Toothless's neck caused him to collapse, and he looked extremely pleased. The two humans grinned at each other, and Aran refrained from telling him that Méaróg was the same way. In the arena the next day, it seemed the lot of them were just charging at the tropical spinetail (much nicer name than deadly nadder, Aran thought) with various weapons. As Astrid's weapon did no damage to the dragon, it charged for Hiccup who dropped his mace. Curious at the action, it sniffed at him, wondering if perhaps he wasn't a threat? Its head snapped to where Astrid had started a war cry, axe over her head. Hiccup anxiously began scratching it, looking for its soft spot when- Astrid's eyes were looking at him in surprised. The dragon had collapsed.

At dinner, Hiccup went to sit alone with Aran, as usual, and suddenly it seemed the whole tribe was swarming him, asking excited questions. Astrid was left alone, and she seemed more than a little frustrated. She had been the star recruit, and then Hiccup came out of nowhere with whatever tricks he was using? She didn't like that, but there was nothing she could do for the time being. Aran suggested reflecting light off of some piece of metal and seeing if Toothless would chase it (Méaróg seemed to enjoy that sort of thing), and chase it he did. Hiccup was found doing the exact same thing with a mischievous bravesnout (Aran was particularly proud of that one. Terrible terror? nah) the very next day, and Tuffnut's claims that he was better than Astrid ever was made anger boil within her. She went to the forest to practice with her axe, almost hitting a very suspicious looking Hiccup, who was carrying a bundle of leather, followed by an only slightly less suspicious looking Aran. They quickly left the scene, and she chased after them but it seemed they'd escaped.

Meanwhile, Hiccup had been dedicating all of his free time to tweaking Toothless's tail and saddle, with Aran giving him helpful ideas every now and then. Even when he wasn't giving him ideas, Aran's presence made it easy to think because he could freely bounce ideas off of him. The music also didn't hurt, and Aran often helped distract Toothless and Hiccup fastened the saddle on him. After his latest design passed the test flight, Hiccup worked on making a chart of tailfin positions, Aran always present, sitting nearby and drawing the two of them or making music. He would laugh at his mishaps, cheer when something went right, make sure he was eating, and help him in case he ever got stuck. Once, Hiccup got stuck on Toothless's saddle, and Aran helped them sneak to the smithy, as well as prevent a bucket Toothless had carelessly thrown in the air from making any noise. It was a good thing, too, because Astrid was nearby. They very narrowly avoided the suspicious girl, but Aran had a feeling she'd spotted them for a brief second as Toothless chased a sheep.

Things went well for quite a while, with dragon training, and with, well, the other dragon training. Hiccup continued to not get killed, Aran helped him work on Toothless's tail and saddle, Hiccup continued to run off every day, Aran helped him go without being found out. It was an exciting time in their life, and it was when Hiccup told him he was going to be taking Toothless on a real, proper test flight that Aran decided to tell him that he wasn't the only one with a dragon friend. The two of them were hanging out in Aran's living room for the first time in a while, Méaróg lounging on the beach, buried in sand. Conversation had been on the fact that Stoick was expected to return soon, before Hiccup changed the subject, stating that he figured it was time for a real test flight around the island.

" _Remember my brother?_ " Aran asked, nibbling on what was left of the apple he'd been eating. Hiccup didn't seem to understand the subject change.

"Umm, yeah?" Hiccup seemed to notice the serious look on his face and switched to speak in Aran's mother tongue. " _You said he died at sea when you had to run away from your village during a dragon attack._ "

" _Only half of that is true. My brother never died, though we did have to flee because of a dragon attack._ " Hiccup didn't say anything, letting Aran speak. " _When we got to Berk, I told him to stay behind where we'd landed, because well, if you remember, I kind of showed up in the middle of a raid._ " He threw the apple core into the fire, watching it shrivel up. " _The reason I claimed he was dead after mentioning him was because your tribe is a dragon killing tribe._ "

" _Sorry, what does that have to do with your brother?_ " Aran sighed.

" _I met Méaróg when I was four. His mother was on the beach near my childhood home, dying. He wasn't born yet, at the time._ " Hiccup had a confused look on his face, but Aran held a hand up. " _He was still an egg. Remember the dragon manual? Extremely dangerous, kill on sight?_ " Hiccup swallowed the lump in his throat. " _My brother is a dragon, Hiccup._ "

" _Why didn't you tell me?_ " Aran sighed.

" _At first, you were like the rest of them. I couldn't tell you. But then you shot down Toothless, and I wasn't sure anymore. I saw the two of you bonding, and I knew it was safe to tell you, but I couldn't bring myself to do it when I saw you being so happy around each other._ " Hiccup didn't meet his eyes. " _I'm impressed by you, you know._ "

" _... Why? I'm not the first one who's ridden a dragon, apparently…_ " Aran shook his head.

" _You've dealt with such harsh treatment, and yet when it came to seeing Toothless you couldn't kill him, even though you knew it would bring you recognition. And now you're working so hard just to let him fly again. Méaróg's saddle was made by a family friend, and he doesn't have any problem taking off on his own. I didn't have to work on our bond, because he'd been with me his whole life. Toothless was different. He's not a hatchling. He spent years attacking the village, yet you convinced him you weren't a threat to him and formed a strong bond together. You're putting so much into helping him- much more than I ever have for Méaróg, and just because you aren't the first person to ride and befriend a dragon, you're still the first viking to do it. And you're the first person to make a prosthetic for a dragon! Without you, Toothless would be dead._ " Aran nudged him, and Hiccup smiled.

"Thanks, Aran. But without me, Toothless wouldn't need helping in the first place." Hiccup sighed.

"No sighing, I'm giving you praise. Without you, sure, let's say Toothless wouldn't need help in the first place, but without you, Hooligan Village would still be in danger of night fury attacks. I think it's a win-win, with you making a friend, and saving the village from the big bad night fury." Hiccup laughed.

"Alright, alright, fine. Thanks, Aran. Seriously."

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 3,838**_

**I like getting through large chunks of the movie in single chapters so here we have what feels like half an hour of footage covered in less than 4,000 words :^)**

 **Anyways, there's that. Not much to say but I hope my inspiration holds strong! We're not quite halfway through the first movie yet, and I don't have a definite plan, but hey! That's fine. It's going somewhere at least, and I swear I'll have original content eventually, with less of this retelling stuff. I just like rewriting things that I can watch tbh there's no reasoning.**

 **Also, gotta love Hiccup's insecurities :^)**


	10. A Good Hug

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Okay there, bud, we're gonna take this nice and slow." Hiccup stated as he patted Toothless on the neck. Aran smiled at the two of them as he glided nearby on Méaróg. He'd promised Hiccup that he wouldn't interfere unless the situation was dire enough. How Aran would determine that? He wasn't sure.

It seemed Hiccup had finally crafted the perfect saddle for Toothless, and after a number of much less dangerous test flights, he'd decided it was time. The two of them were by a cliff, above the great blue sea. Clouds were so close, one could almost reach out and touch them. It was a pretty safe location, in terms of obstacles being far off, but Aran had no doubt in his mind that they would run into some sort of trouble. Hiccup was checking his cheat sheet as he changed the position his foot was in. As the two flew around, testing the waters (so to speak), Aran noticed how much more flimsy the artificial tailfin looked when compared to the real one. The subtle frown on Hiccup's face either meant he had seen it too, or he was just nervous. Or both? They flew down, closer to the water, and Méaróg followed as they flew between two pillars of stone jutting out from the water. Aran took the pleasantly safe (for now) moment to think back to Méaróg's official meeting with Hiccup and Toothless.

The striped dragon had been so eager to finally meet the two of them that his immediate course of action was to tackle Hiccup. Obviously not used to such energetic approaches from dragons due to Toothless, he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him. Toothless had been on edge, growling at the slightly larger dragon. Upon noticing the night fury, Méaróg had excitedly bounded off of Hiccup, moving to sniff at Toothless. Not having been prepared for Méaróg's sheer friendliness, Toothless had shuffled away. Méaróg couldn't condone such behavior, and wound up chasing Toothless around the cove as their riders laughed. The night fury's whines of confusion fell on deaf ears, and Toothless attempted to take to the sky, ultimately ending up in the water. He was quickly followed by Méaróg, who splashed in after him, flapping his wings around and creating splashes of incredible size. Toothless sent both Hiccup and Aran unamused looks as he resigned to his fate, and Méaróg plopped himself on top of the other dragon.

After Toothless walked to shore, Aran supposed Méaróg must be the younger of the two. The pink dragon went back to Aran, nudging and rubbing against him, getting his clothes wet. He laughed at him, until the dragon decided it was time to lick his human brother's freckled face. Needless to say, Aran didn't appreciate that, and after a moment, he was chasing his brother around instead. The chase ended with Méaróg tackling them, and evolved to a wrestling match which Méaróg, predictably, won without too much trouble. Aran put up a pretty good fight though. Hiccup's green eyes met Aran's brown ones with some form of surprise as he laid on the ground, dragon resting on his abdomen. The look Aran returned, with one of his thick eyebrows raised, almost seemed to ask him if he thought it was weird. Hiccup laughed, deciding it was just different. He himself was definitely not strong enough to wrestle with Toothless, but he supposed Méaróg was probably holding back when fighting Aran.

All of them had ended up lying around for a while after Méaróg got off of Aran. Hiccup noted that the desert wraith didn't enjoy tucking his wings in, and acted younger and more immature than Toothless. While Toothless had seemed genuinely annoyed by the younger dragon, Hiccup gradually began to realize that he was just acting annoyed for fun. There was a glint of mirth in his eyes as he batted Méaróg with his tail. The two humans talked about Méaróg's saddle, which had needed to be made with the large base of his wings in mind, while the dragons messed around. For some reason, the younger seemed overly fond of wrestling, and he dragged Toothless into a play battle. The night fury won, and Méaróg seemed shocked. Before the two could have a rematch, Hiccup announced that he was ready for his test flight.

And that brought them to where they were now, with Aran reminiscing on events of only an hour ago. After having idly watched Hiccup crash him and Toothless into some stone pillars (with no injury), he watched them climb higher and higher into the sky. He let the younger boy get rather far as he paused to adjust his hair, wishing his bangs would stop hitting him in the face. Maybe he should get something to keep the red strands pulled back. It was at that moment that he saw Hiccup begin to fall through the air, Toothless flailing around in panic. Aran moved closer, but before he could have Méaróg pull them to safety (the assumed plan was to get Hiccup on his back before diving after Toothless), Hiccup shouted at him.

"No- no, no, wait I almost-!" He got whacked by Toothless's tail.

Somehow the hit changed the angle of both of them in a way that allowed Hiccup to grab hold of Toothless's saddle, pulling himself back on and slipping his feet into place before latching himself back onto the saddle. He pulled back, Toothless's wings billowing out and catching the air to slow their descent as Aran and Méaróg chased after them. They were quickly approaching a stretch of stone pillars, and Hiccup tried to look at his cheat sheet, but to no avail. The wind was blowing too hard, and he wound up letting it fly away as he trusted in his instincts.

The gamble paid off, and the two of them were twisting and turning, avoiding obstacles and weaving between pillars as if they were made for each other, and had never been complete until that very moment. It was an incredible thing to see, and after a split second, Aran had determined they were safe, so he instructed Méaróg to fly above the pillars. They watched from above, Aran in awe of the speed the two were going at. He had never worked much on his speed with Méaróg, as the pink dragon seemed very content with not flying quickly. They could probably pull it off if they really tried, but there had been no real need to as of yet.

After Hiccup and Toothless made it to safety, Hiccup let out a yell of triumph, Toothless following up with a blast of fire. Aran laughed at Hiccup's groan as his face got singed, and the four of them landed on a nearby island, Aran immediately checking to make sure Hiccup didn't get a serious burn. Luckily, by the time the flames had reached his face, they'd cooled down considerably, so there was no real damage save for the soot on his hair and face. Aran thought it looked funny, seeing him with his hair blown back like that, so he didn't bother to fix it, instead working on helping Hiccup to build a fire as he sent Méaróg off to go get them all a nice pile of fish. Méaróg brought the pile in several short trips, bringing about six fish back with them each time.

They wound up with two piles of fish; one for Toothless, because he didn't want to share with Aran or Méaróg, and one for the rest of them. Hiccup and Aran were in the process of cooking their fish while Méaróg gobbled away at his own pile. Toothless regurgitated a fish head for Hiccup, who was leaning against him. He politely declined, as he already had his fish. Aran laughed, as he told Hiccup he had been watching when Toothless made him eat the raw fish before. Hiccup's cheeks flushed red as he silently took a bite out of his fish, which might have not been fully cooked. It was better than the raw, slimy thing he'd had to eat to gain Toothless's trust, however.

At that point a small group of terrible terrors ("Mischievous bravesnouts!" Aran insisted) flew in, intending to steal fish from them. They left Méaróg alone, because he had already almost finished his pile and Toothless's seemed to have more promise. Toothless growled protectively, covering his fish up with his front legs. He glared at the two who fought over the regurgitated fish head intended for Hiccup before his attention was caught by one sneaking away with one of his fish in its mouth. The night fury snapped forward, playing a short game of tug of war before winning and devouring the fish in front of it and letting out what seemed like some attempt at a laugh. Mischievous bravesnout seemed to be an apt name for the creature as it dug its claws into the ground, as if preparing to charge, before sucking in a breath, letting the gas build in its mouth to let out a breath of fire. Toothless thwarted its plans by shooting a small blast into its mouth. The poor thing fell over before woozily wobbling away. Hiccup laughed as Aran smiled at the scene, biting into their own cooked fish.

"Not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" He asked the small dragon, tossing a fish over to it. "Here you go." He watched the small dragon devour the fish before looking at him with wide eyes and crawling over to nestle against him, situating itself under his arm. A look of wonder entered his green eyes as he spoke his next words, voice soft. "Everything we know about you guys is wrong…"

" _They're kinda like weird cats._ " Aran commented, a smile on his face. " _So, what do you think of my name for 'em?_ "

"What did you call them again?"

"Mischievous bravesnouts!" Hiccup thought back to the small dragons trying to steal fish from Toothless, and how the one had tried to fight the much larger dragon despite the obvious disadvantages.

"I gotta hand it to you, that's a pretty accurate name."

Hiccup reached up, trying to shake the soot out of his hair and return it to its usual position. There was a moment of quiet as the bravesnouts ate their fill of fish, most of them happy with just one fish. Toothless refused to share, despite his pile being the largest, and despite Méaróg's pile being much smaller, he wound up being the one to feed the tiny dragons. By the time all of them had eaten their fill, Méaróg's pile was gone. The desert wraith didn't seem to mind, however, and after an energy filled day of tackling Hiccup, chasing Toothless, being chased by Aran, and wrestling with both of the later two, he was rather exhausted, electing to take a nap. All of the bravesnouts, save for the one that was now crawling onto Hiccup's lap, nestled up under his large, striped wing. Smiling at them, Aran turned their attention to Hiccup, who was looking at the small dragons. Aran stifled a laugh at Hiccup's failed attempts to fix his hair, and the younger boy's cheeks flushed as the redhead sat closer to him to take matters into his own hands. A rain of soot fell from his brown locks, and Aran noted that the hair was surprisingly soft.

That was before he remembered that the vikings were a lot more clean than he'd expected when he first arrived on the Isle of Berk. Most of them tended to bathe at least once a week, compared to what he was used to in terms of bathing once or twice a year. Oftentimes, he would glance around and notice one of the villagers brushing their hair or beard, and there were all kinds of soaps around despite the hard times and constant dragon raids. Aran thought of his own hair a little as he ran his fingers through Hiccup's. It was kind of matted and tangled, and not very soft. Though his bathing habits had become more regular since arriving on Berk, he still only bathed maybe two or three times a month. Back in his hometown, he'd been called a clean freak for bathing once a month, so it was rather strange to feel so dirty despite this. After a while, he realized Hiccup's hair had more than returned to its normal state as he had let his thoughts escape him. The viking boy seemed rather content having Aran card his fingers through his hair though, so he didn't feel bad for having gotten distracted.

"The sunset is beautiful from here." Aran commented as he retracted his fingers. Hiccup's eyes had been closed, and he opened them, blinking a few times.

"Yeah…" He looked relaxed, almost as if he never really wanted to leave the small, dry island the two of them had found. Aran glanced over at Toothless, who seemed to be drifting off to sleep, before looking at Méaróg and the bravesnouts, who had already reached dreamland.

"Come on!" Aran clapped his hands loudly as he stood up, kicking dirt onto the fire. Hiccup and Toothless seemed startled out of their drowsiness. "Today has been really fun, but as much as I love this island, people are going to wonder where we've been all day." He knelt down by Méaróg's head, smacking his snout hard enough to wake him up, but not hard enough for it to really hurt. As soon as he stood up, the small flock of dragons that had buried themselves under his wing began to stir.

"Gods, that's the last thing we need." Hiccup nudged the bravesnout on his lap, waiting for it blink its large eyes open before standing up and brushing dirt off of himself. Toothless stood up as well, and Aran noted that he didn't even finish his fish.

"Yeah. _You guys can take the rest of the fish._ " He spoke to the small dragons, who let out their funny little high pitched cries as they dashed towards the fish, grabbing all of it in their small claws before flying away. Aran and Hiccup laughed. "Oh, and I know you're probably **dying** to get back to the forge so you can figure out how to make Toothless's tail more sturdy." Aran smiled.

"You know me too well." He shrugged, mounting Toothless as Aran did the same with Méaróg.

The flight back to Hooligan Village was pleasant, spent mostly in a content silence, or idle chatter about Toothless's tail. Méaróg seemed to be having some sort of conversation with Toothless as well, and their riders wished they could understand what they were talking about. As the four of them touched down in Toothless's cove and dismounted, Toothless immediately burned a circle in the dirt and settled down, ready to fall asleep. Aran noted that it was a cute habit of his, and Hiccup had to agree. Méaróg nudged Aran lazily, cocking his head in a questioning manner before Aran told him he would probably hang out with Hiccup in the forge until they decided they wanted to head to sleep. The sun had just barely finished setting, so they had some time. Aran and Hiccup left the cave, and Méaróg elected to stay and nap with Toothless. The two humans had a very Irish conversation about their dragon friends, and couldn't help but enjoy their 'secret code' that made sure nobody could decipher their conversation.

They hung out in the back room of the forge, where Hiccup bounced ideas off of Aran as the heavily freckled boy tried his best to give his input. While Hiccup wasn't in the mood to really make anything, he wanted to figure out the best course of action ahead of time. After a while, their discussion trailed off to friendly banter as both of them sketched things out in their respective sketchbooks. Aran's drawing was one of Hiccup and Toothless, while Hiccup's was, quite predictably, different design ideas to improve Toothless's artificial tailfin. The conversation died down to a pleasant silence, interrupted only by the sounds of the night. Aran dozed off on the stool he was sitting on, back leaned against the wall. He had hung his jacket somewhere nearby, as it wasn't a particularly cold night, and Hiccup found himself putting his head down at the table, face angled towards his older friend.

Aran's shirt exposed his shoulders for some reason, going straight across instead of having a neck scoop down. Said shoulders were covered in freckles, just like his face and hands. It seemed every part of his skin was covered in the small dots, and Hiccup vaguely remembered the time that he had seen him shirtless two years ago when he'd first arrived on the island. Most of his skin did have freckles, if he remembered correctly. The thick straps of the dark tank top were the only things to interrupt the landscape of freckles, save for the bit in the middle that clearly showed the scar from the burn on his chest. Only a small bit of the scar was visible, but Hiccup often found himself glancing down at it, wondering what he'd done to himself to get it.

Suddenly embarrassed to be staring at his friend's chest, Hiccup brought his eyes to his face. Long lashes brushed against his cheeks, closed lids bearing freckles as they hid his warm brown eyes. Aran had very kind eyes. They were kinder than his eyebrows were thick, and Aran had some surprisingly thick eyebrows. It was a good look for him, though. A lock of his red hair was perpetually wrapped in a metal spiral that had a coin bearing some sort of Irish symbol on it (Hiccup remembered Aran calling it a Triskelion once, but he couldn't be sure he was remembering that correctly). His red hair, which had previously been tied back with a thick leather strap, fell loosely around his shoulders. Part of Hiccup wondered if Aran liked any of the girls in the village.

He'd called Astrid cute before, but often said he hated her personality and constantly argued with her. The only other girl around their age he could think of was Ruffnut, and while Aran did get along swimmingly with Ruffnut (the two tended to joke around a lot, and Hiccup honestly wouldn't be surprised if the female twin had a thing for his foreign friend), he found himself not wanting such a thing to be true. Though, Aran did call Ruffnut cute too… Hiccup wondered why he even cared. He supposed it was because Aran was his only human friend around his age, and if Aran got a girlfriend, he probably wouldn't want to hang out with him anymore.

Frustrated by his thoughts, he focused his gaze on some notch in the desk as opposed to Aran's face. Hiccup flicked his stick of charcoal up the desk, waiting for that unknown force to bring it back down the slanted surface. He let his eyes focus on his charcoal, and the sound it made against the wood, readjusting its position every time it went askew. With Aran asleep, he really should be waking him up so he could go home, but he didn't really want to. It was nice having him there, instead of staying alone. Hiccup wasn't really fond of being alone, because that's all he ever had been until Aran had come along two years ago. As he righted the charcoal for what seemed like the hundredth time, he glanced to the left, startled by the sight of his father standing in the dimly lit area. He immediately stood up, standing in front of the desk as he tried to shove all his papers together and out of his sight.

"Dad, you're back!" It would be really bad if his dad saw those papers with Toothless's tail designs on them. And the saddles? Hiccup almost shivered, stammering over his words slightly. "I, uh, Gobber's not here, so-"

"I know." Stoick sent a glance at Aran, who was starting to stir awake after the large man bumped his head against something. "I came looking for you."

"You did?" He closed his sketchbook, wishing he hadn't left all of his stuff lying around. He hadn't exactly been expecting his father to return that night and come to the forge, though, so he couldn't really blame himself. Not too much, at least.

"You've been keeping secrets." The image of Toothless attempting to smile popped up in his head, and panic shot through him.

"But- I- uh- I have?" He hoped his stammering wasn't too bad, even though he knew it was pretty bad. Aran made eye contact with him, and Hiccup wasn't comforted when he saw the same panic in his friend's eyes that he was feeling himself.

"Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?" His voice sounded so quiet and intimidating that Hiccup felt himself sweating.

"I-I-I don't know," He paused, swallowing a lump in his throat. "What you're-"

"Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it." His voice was firmer, louder, and Hiccup almost flinched. "So let's talk about that dragon."

"Oh gods," Hiccup accidentally pushed a paper off of the table as he leaned his weight on it. "Dad, I'm so sorry, I-I-I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how to uh…" Stoick started laughing, and Hiccup was then confused. Him and Aran shared equal looks of confusion, and he laughed awkwardly along with his father. "You uh, you're not… upset?" He felt extremely relieved. His dad knew about Toothless and was laughing so jovially with him? Was this a dream?

"What? I was hoping for this!" Aran almost walked out, but Hiccup sent him a pleading look, so he just stood awkwardly behind the chief.

"Uhh, you were?"

"And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait til you spill a nadder's guts for the first time," Oh. Oh no. "And mount your first gronkle head on a spear? What a feeling!" He gave Hiccup what was likely supposed to be a gentle and friendly punch, but the force of it sent him back down in his chair. "You really had me going there, son. All those years of the worst viking Berk has ever seen!" Hiccup felt his heart drop to his stomach, and he felt sick. "Odin, it was rough, I almost gave up on you, and all the while you were holding out on me. Thor almighty!" He sighed, and Hiccup wanted to die. "With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about."

He pulled the chair Aran had been sitting on closer, and father and son stared at each other. It was a tense silence, and Hiccup avoided his eyes. The dim lighting surrounded them, and a few sighs escaped them as they failed to start a conversation. It was incredible to be looking at his father at eye level, but all it did was remind Hiccup that the only reason that was possible was because his father was slouching on a short stool as Hiccup stood at his full height. He felt scrawny, weak, and pathetic. His father wildly misinterpreted, though that was really no surprise, and he was so excited to talk to someone Hiccup just couldn't be. His father's words were just a confirmation of Hiccup's fears. That he saw him as the worst viking to ever exist, and really, Hiccup supposed it was true. He was the worst viking to ever exist. After what felt like years, Stoick spoke.

"Oh. Yeah." He sounded awkward as he picked something up. "I-I brought you something." It was a helmet, and the horn squeaked as Stoick twisted it into place. "To keep you safe. In the ring." He handed it to Hiccup, who held it by the horns, unsure that he really wanted it.

"Wow… Thanks." While he wasn't sure he really wanted it, he couldn't deny that the craftsmanship was top notch, even if it was simple.

"Your mother would have wanted you to have it." He explained as Hiccup rubbed it in appreciation. "It's half of her breastplate." He immediately took his hand away, laughing awkwardly. "Matching set." Stoick tapped his finger on his own helmet. "Keeps her close, you know? Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal." Hiccup made some odd noises as he put the helmet on the desk, not sure what to say, before yawning in such an exaggerated manner he wasn't sure how his father couldn't tell it was fake.

"I should really get to bed-"

"Yes."

"Right about now." He finished.

"Good. Okay. Good talk."

"Yeah, I'll-I'll see you back at the house. Great, uh, thanks for stopping by, and for the, uh, the breast hat."

"I'll uh, yup. Goodnight."

Stoick turned to walk away, Aran stepping out of the large man's path before staring at Hiccup. Aran heard Stoick sigh through the door in unison with his son before hearing a large crash that signified that he'd knocked a box of weaponry over. Groaning as he registered that he would have to be the one to clean that because Hiccup's strength wasn't best, he walked over to Hiccup, asking if he was okay. Hiccup avoided his eyes as he claimed he was fine, so Aran decided this was one of those times Hiccup decided he was too proud to admit was he was really feeling. He pulled the younger boy into a hug, which lasted a decent length of time. It wasn't that the two didn't usually hug, it was just that their hugs weren't usually very long, or they were one-sided with Aran initiating, or they were from the side with one arm while sitting on Aran's couch. Aran's mother always said a good hug could lift anyone's spirits, and he'd taken this philosophy to heart, so that was probably why he was the one who usually hugged Hiccup, as Hiccup had never even known his mother and his father wasn't exactly the most caring and hands on parent. That was why it sort of surprised Aran to feel Hiccup return the hug, burying his face into his hair as he did so. It suddenly made Aran wish his hair wasn't tangled. They stayed like that for a long while, Aran rubbing his back soothingly. Hiccup was the one to pull away, and Aran vaguely noticed that his cheeks were flushed pink. He was probably embarrassed by the hug. Hiccup wasn't a very touchy person, all things considered, so it wasn't surprising.

"Uh, I- sorry, I just-" Aran smiled kindly at him, warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners.

"It's fine. I get it, that was pretty hard to hear. There's no shame in needing a hug, you know. My mother always said-"

" _A good hug can lift anyone's spirits_ , I know." Hiccup smiled back, cheeks still pink. "You only say it every time you hug me." Aran laughed.

"I guess I do, huh." Hiccup noticed his smile turn bittersweet, as if he'd remembered something.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, no, it's fine." He sighed. "Your dad hasn't let me take a boat back home, and I don't want to just disappear with Méaróg and no explanation, so I just have to hold onto the hope that she's still alive." Aran forced the smile back onto his face. He didn't need Hiccup trying to comfort him. Hiccup needed someone strong to help ground him and keep his anxiety down and reassure him. He had to be that person for him.

"Hey, at least you had a mom!" Hiccup laughed, and Aran frowned. Hiccup must have read his mind, because he kept talking. "I didn't know my mom, it's- it's fine. I can't really miss someone I never met." A strained smile was on his face, and Aran felt his curiosity grow about something.

"So… About that song that, well, got me kicked out of your house…" Hiccup tensed, and though Aran knew he didn't want to talk about it, he wanted an answer more than he wanted to allow Hiccup to avoid the subject. "I know it was important to your dad." Hiccup bit his lip, fidgeting with the hem of his tunic slightly. "And I know you don't want to talk about it, considering that you've avoided the subject for two years."

"It was their song." He blurted out. "I-" Hiccup averted his eyes. "It was their song." Aran nodded. His suspicion was correct. "He didn't- Dad didn't tell me that, though. It was Gobber. I asked him about it when I was like, eight."

"Well, that's all I wanted to know." Aran picked up one of the papers that had fallen on the floor, gathering them up for Hiccup before handing them to him. "Do you want me to walk you home?" Hiccup's cheeks flushed slightly as he took the papers, putting them away and slipping his sketchbook into his vest as he shook his head.

"No, that's fine." He blew out the candles as they left the room.

"Stoick knocked some weapons over when he was leaving." Aran warned. "Make sure you don't trip. I'll clean them up and head home, so don't worry about it." He said as he lit a candle.

"Right. Goodnight, Aran." He felt a little awkward still, but Aran's smile betrayed no such feeling.

"Night, Hiccup."

As the chief's son left, he heard the telltale signs of someone arranging weapons. He couldn't help but agree with Aran's possibly dead mother. The hug really **had** lifted his spirits, even if he felt a little awkward.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,979**_

 **Okay so I think I said the Green Death instead of the Red Death in one of my previous author's notes. That was a mistake. I've been playing Rise of Berk a lot tho and I'm working on releasing the Green Death so can you really blame me?**

 **On another note, I took this chapter to describe Aran in great detail, because I haven't really done that before, and you know what every other character looks like. Even with Mearog, you can just like, google 'desert wraith dragon' and see what they look like, so... Anyways, if you care, I also went back to previous chapters and updated them to fix some typos and add some more descriptive words. It's not too big of a change, especially because of how much detail I tried to describe Aran in with this chapter as Hiccup slowly realizes that he's maybe not straight, so you don't really have to go back and read the updated chapters, but you can if you want.**

 **I'm actually at my dad's house right now, so I don't have access to my trusty desktop that I love so much, and that's why I didn't update sooner haha... Anyways, stay tuned for me to continue to rewrite already existing scenes with like barely any twist to them whatsoever :^) One day I'll do more original things. That day is not today, but really. One day.**


	11. The Nest

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

The next day found Aran bleeding in places he would generally prefer not to bleed from, and he decided he would skip Gobber's dragon training in favor of hanging out with Toothless and Méaróg. It wasn't as if he would even be participating in the training that day. Today was the last day of real dragon training, and Gobber had told them the previous day that the two most likely candidates to fight and kill the blazing salamander (well, he'd said monstrous nightmare, but Aran liked his name for the creature better) would be the only ones really participating. Those two most likely candidates were Hiccup and Astrid, so Aran supposed he probably should have gone (as emotional support), but he was in the mood to take a long, hot, private bath. He could talk to Hiccup when he was finished. As he bathed, he decided he was kind of jealous of Hiccup's soft hair, and attempted to detangle it and clean it to the same extent, but he found that his natural hair texture wasn't the softest, and had to sigh. Oh well. At least it wasn't tangled.

He also stared at his chest. His burn scar was raised slightly, and it turned an angry sort of pink in the hot water. He didn't regret his scar. In fact, he almost felt kind of proud of it. It was self inflicted, sure, and it wasn't earned in the heat of a terrible battle, but it made him feel proud of himself, rather than ashamed. Though he bled from his nether regions once a month like just about every woman out there, at least his chest was manly enough. The burn explained away why he didn't grow chest hair, and though most vikings prefered to grow their beards out, there were methods of shaving he could claim to use. Really, Aran was constantly shocked by how much cleaner vikings were than the stories he'd heard about them claimed. After bathing, Aran changed into his spare set of clothes, which were really identical to his usual set, but they were clean. He really only owned them so that he could wash and clean his clothes every now and then, but still have something to wear. It was an ingenious method, and he usually washed them once a month. Always on the day he started bleeding. It was a nice pattern for him.

Leaving his now clean clothes drying by his fire pit, he had called Méaróg out to fly him to the cove where Toothless was. While Méaróg was used to his monthly bleeding, and was unbothered by it, Toothless certainly was not, and seemed to find it necessary to sniff him all over, trying to find the source of an injury. After explaining himself to the dragon Toothless nudged him with his nose rather gently before settling down in the grass, putting his head down with the intention of sleeping. Méaróg didn't allow this of course, and tackled the older dragon, initiating a wrestling that Aran decided to be the judge of. It was interesting to see Méaróg fight at his full strength, as opposed to how he held back when fighting Aran, but Aran supposed it only made sense, considering how easily Toothless had beaten him last time. The desert wraith was only slightly bigger than the night fury, but his larger size lent him no advantage, and despite going at full strength, Toothless still won.

"Your moves are all very predictable. You keep losing because you're relying on brute strength instead of trying to find my weak points." Aran really wished he knew what the dragons were saying. Toothless had gotten off of Méaróg and it seemed like the two were speaking.

"I never had to think about that before. My brother always loses to me because he isn't strong enough to do much to me." It almost seemed like Méaróg was pouting. Aran had to wonder how old Toothless was.

"You know, I've noticed you call that human your brother. It's weird."

"I never knew my mom. I think she died before I hatched, and Aran's mom took care of me before Aran and I could do that ourselves. I never even met any other dragons until I came to Berk!" Aran smiled as the two made sounds at each other. He leaned against Méaróg's side as the two seemed content not moving.

"I remember my mother, and my siblings. I don't know if they're still around anymore, and if they are, they're out of range of the Queen." Toothless seemed to shudder. "Are you not affected by her cry?"

"Aran is my Queen." It didn't make much sense, if Méaróg thought about it, but Toothless didn't seem to question it in the slightest.

"He would make a good Queen."

Aran slipped away to sleep as the two dragons conversed, dreaming pleasant dreams of the times he's spent with his mother and father. The dream wasn't completely accurate, of course, and some of his friends on Berk, like Hiccup and the twins, snuck their way into his little hometown in Ireland. Hiccup would probably like his mom, and he knew his mom would like Hiccup. The twins would get along splendidly with the boys in the village, as well as his father. If Fishlegs was there, he would probably have a field day with all the new flora and fauna. It really was a pleasant thought until his dreamworld reminded him very clearly that his village had burnt to the ground. He awoke with a start, though it hadn't really been the fault of the dream. Méaróg had shifted, and he already found the dream slipping away. Aran also realized Hiccup was in the area, though he couldn't see him. That was probably because, well, him, Méaróg, and Toothless were behind a rock, and Aran wasn't even facing the entrance to the cove.

"We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation. Forever." He paused as he put a bundle of stuff down. "Though, I guess we have to tell Aran we're going. Maybe we can live in his old hometown." A selfish part of Hiccup wanted Aran to come with him. "Ah, man." He sighed as he fiddled with his vest. As he stood up, he heard the sound of an axe being sharpened, and jumped back with a yell, almost tripping over a rock. "What the- um, uhh, what are you doing here?" Aran peeked over the side of the rock, eyes widening when he saw Astrid. Oh no.

"I wanna know what's going on." Oh no. "No one just **gets** as good as you do. **Especially** you. Start talking." Hiccup stammered, trying to get a word in, but Astrid kept talking. "Are you training with someone?"

"I didn't-"

"It better not involve **this**." She grabbed him by the vest, which he had definitely made for riding Toothless easier.

"I-I know, **this** looks really bad, but, see, this is uhh-" There was a sound that sounded something like a branch creaking, and Astrid gasped, shoving him so hard he hit the ground before walking in that direction. Hiccup felt panic swell within him. He couldn't let her find Toothless. "Uhh, you're right! You're right," He laughed nervously. "I-I-I'm through with the lies, I-I've been making… outfits!" What was that even supposed to mean? He really wished he was a better liar, considering the fact that he had literally no idea what he was going on about. "So, you got me, it's time everyone knew," He pulled Astrid's hand to his chest as he walked backwards in front of her, trying to block her view. "Drag me back, go ahead, here we go- **Ow!** " There was a sick cracking sound and his wrist was in immense pain. " **Why** would you **do** that!?" Astrid kicked him to the ground.

" **That's** for the lies," She dropped the butt of her axe on him, and he felt a bruise growing. " **That's** for everything else." A sound that was very definitely from Toothless, made her head shoot up, stance immediately on guard.

"Oh, man…" Could this get any worse?

"Get down!" Astrid shouted, tackling him to the ground as Toothless bounded forward. She rolled off of him, rearing back her axe. "Run!"

"Woah!" Hiccup returned the favor, tackling her down as he grabbed her axe and threw it away, standing between her and Toothless, holding arms out in both directions. "No, it's okay, it's okay. She's a friend." That word felt strange on his tongue, but Toothless seemed to be calming down. Astrid wasn't really his friend, but it was better than saying 'she's someone who kinda hates me but I also really don't want you to kill her because she's kind of cute and I also don't want anyone to be wondering why she's gone missing.' Hiccup held Toothless back as he growled at Astrid. "You just- you just scared him." His voice sounded kind of weak, but he saw Aran and Méaróg come into view behind Astrid and felt infinitely more confident. Aran had a freckled hand on the pink dragon's head, and though Méaróg seemed on edge, he didn't like he would attack.

" **I** scared him?" Her voice was loud and full of disbelief. "Who. Is him?" She seemed calmer, at least.

"Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid." Toothless snarled, and Hiccup tried not to groan. She shook her head in disbelief before jogging backwards, clearly intent on going back to Hooligan Village.

"Wah!" She nearly fell over as she ran into Aran's chest.

"And where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Her eyes flicked up to his before seeing Méaróg behind him and suppressing a scream. Unfortunately, her response, was to scramble away from him and out of the cove. Aran rolled his brown eyes before mounting Méaróg and shooting Hiccup a look. They nodded as they made eye contact, and after chasing Toothless down (he'd seemed to think it was a good idea to take a nap), the two of them were searching for Astrid from above. She wasn't hard to find, and Toothless seized her by the shoulders as she jumped over a log. She didn't even try to suppress her screams as they flew above the trees, not stopping until Toothless unceremoniously dropped on top of one that was spaced well apart from the others. Méaróg and Aran had followed, looking unamused. Toothless perched on top of the tree, but the weight caused to to bend, and Astrid was barely hanging on.

"Hiccup! Get me **down** from here!"

"You **have** to give me a chance to explain." He pleaded, and Aran shot him a look. "Us. You have to give us a chance to explain."

"I am not listening to **anything** you have to say!" She shouted as she edged her way closer to the inside of the branch she was dangling from. Aran scoffed.

"Have fun living in a tree for the rest of your life." Even Astrid had to realize that she would probably not survive the trip down that thing. Who knew how old it was, considering it was practically the height of a mountain. Hiccup shot him a glare.

"Then I won't speak, just let me show you. Please, Astrid."

She looked down at the ground, weighing her options. On one hand, she could try to make her way back down the tree and hope none of the branches broke, sending her to her death. On the other hand, she could swallow her pride. The only thing that convinced her to swallow her pride was the fact that if she did make it down, Hiccup or Aran could just tell their- their **dragons** to put her back up there. She stood on the branch the best she could, but slapped Hiccup's hand away when he tried to help her up. She wouldn't swallow **that** much of her pride.

"Now get me down." She commanded, not liking the feeling of either the saddle, or being so close to Hiccup and a fucking dragon.

"Toothless, down. **Gently.** " Toothless spread his wings, and the air slowly pulled them up, unbending the tree. "See? Nothing to be afraid of." They screamed as the black dragon suddenly shot up in the sky.

"Toothless!" He shouted as he heard Aran laughing in the background, and assumed that he was following. "What is **wrong** with you!? Bad dragon!" He evened out slightly, and Hiccup was left laughing awkwardly and uncomfortably as Astrid clinged to him out of nothing but fear. While he'd certainly imagined Astrid clinging to him before, this was not how he'd imagined it, and he was pretty sure he didn't like it very much.

"He's not usually like this. Oh, no." They dropped so suddenly, Hiccup felt blood rushing to his head, and Astrid's screaming wasn't helping anything. They were suddenly underwater, and suddenly above water. And it repeated as Hiccup groaned. Aran's laughter wasn't helping at all.

"Toothless, what are you doing, we **need** her to like us!" They were suddenly climbing in the air again. "And now… the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile." Astrid's screams died as she clung to him.

"Okay," She finally formed coherent words. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just get me off of this thing."

Toothless's wings caught the wind, and suddenly, the plummet turned to a peaceful glide towards the sunset. The next time they climbed higher in the sky, it was gentle, and they were close enough to touch the pink and orange clouds. As they flew, Hiccup saw looked down, seeing Aran and Méaróg flying below them. The two boys exchanged smiles before breaking eye contact and flying higher, through the layer of clouds. It was dark above the clouds, for some odd reason they couldn't explain, and the northern lights bathed the area in beautiful colours. Hiccup thought he remembered seeing a drawing in Aran's sketchbook of almost this exact same view, and couldn't believe he'd never seen the real thing before. They drew closer to Berk, and Hiccup was suddenly relieved that Toothless was so dark he couldn't be seen in the night sky. It was with a start that he realized Astrid was snuggling closer to him, and it gave him a weird feeling in his chest. A part of him was elated, because hey, he'd always known Astrid as the pretties girl in the village, and here she was, hugging him, but another part of him was strangely put off by it. It was weird, considering the fact that she'd always hated him before. As they pulled away from the village, Astrid spoke again.

"Alright, I'll admit it. This is pretty cool. It's… amazing. He's amazing." She reached down to pet Toothless on the side of the neck, and Hiccup felt weirdly negative about that. That was his spot to pet Toothless when they pulled off some maneuver. Not her spot to pet him when she realized he wasn't a monster. Aran scoffed, and Hiccup noted that he was sending Astrid a dirty look. He was also glancing at the spot she'd patted, so at least he wasn't the only one feeling weirdly negative about that bit.

"And to think you almost got yourself killed climbing down a tree because you'd rather tell the village about him than accept that maybe dragons aren't so bad." The two glared at each other, but Astrid ignored him.

"So, what now? Hiccup, your final exam is **tomorrow.** You **know** you're gonna have to kill-" She glanced down at Toothless before pulling Hiccup closer and hissing in his ear, though there was really no point considering the fact that dragons generally have superior hearing. "Kill a dragon."

"Wait, you won?" Aran hadn't been informed of this yet, as he'd been skipping training that day. "Oh, jeeze. No wonder you were planning on leaving Berk." Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Yeah, no kidding…" Toothless suddenly changed directions, and Aran urged Méaróg to follow. "Toothless, what's happening?"

"He heard the cry of the Queen!" Méaróg cawed with some sort of fear.

"What is it?" He asked again, despite not being able to understand the dragons.

"She's hungry!" Toothless's eyes were slits, and they were suddenly flanked by other dragons.

"Get down!" Aran hissed. Hiccup and Toothless didn't need to be told twice. The group couldn't even see through the clouds, but after a while, they thinned enough for them to see the silhouettes of countless dragons.

"What's going on?" Astrid asked.

"I don't know. Toothless, you've gotta get us out of here, bud." Toothless shook his head.

"She's hungry." The night fury repeated.

"It looks like they're hauling in their kill." He observed, glancing at a sheep in a salamander's large claws.

"She's hungry!" Came a chorus of roars from all around.

"Uh, what does that make us?" Astrid asked nervously.

"Not kill. Méaróg and I could leave if we wanted, I can tell he's not affected by… whatever this is, and there's no way Toothless would count you as kill. He needs you to help him fly, Hiccup, and I know he knows that." Aran provided, voice calm and serious. He didn't want the others to panic.

"He wouldn't kill them." Méaróg agreed, and though Aran couldn't understand him, he knew it was a sound of agreement. Hiccup didn't know Méaróg as well, but even he could tell, and it comforted him. Astrid wasn't reassured though, especially not with the fact that Aran hadn't mentioned her in the sentence at all.

Toothless dived, though it was sudden (thankfully), and began to weave through pillars of stone. The fog made it extremely difficult for Aran to keep track of Toothless, but Méaróg seemed to be having no problem with this. They began approaching what seemed to be a volcano, something Aran had only read about in stories- terrible mountains that exploded in a rain of fire. Red lava glowed violently, clearly visibly through the fog, and hot air seemed to whip at their faces like knives. The screeches around them continued, growing in both frequency and volume.

"She's hungry! She's starving! She's hungry!"

If the air outside the volcano was hot, it was nothing compared to the sweltering temperatures inside. The lava lit up the entire cavern in a dangerous red light, and Aran almost thought he was going to melt. This must be what hell feels like. There's no way this place was on Earth. Dragons flying around seemed darker than the night sky against the red, and Aran realized that they weren't even close to the actual lava. It was just smoke, turned red from the intense heat. Food was dropped into the hole, and Hiccup's voice was filled with both terror and awe.

"What my dad wouldn't give to find this…" Toothless flew up, landing on a high up ledge, the heat not quite as intense. Méaróg landed next to him soon after. "Well, it's satisfying to know that all of our food is being dumped down a hole." He snipped, and Aran laughed, despite the situation. Hiccup sent a look at him, smiling slightly.

"They're not eating any of it." Astrid commented.

"They're feeding the Queen." Méaróg answered, though she couldn't understand.

"She's been growing angrier and angrier lately. Nothing can satisfy her hunger."

Toothless mostly said that to Méaróg, because he knew the other dragon could actually understand. His eyes widened at the sight of a gronckle regurgitating one measly fish down into the hole. That gronckle wasn't going to live to see tomorrow. Toothless's suspicion was correct, as the Red Death lunged up, out of her hole, and ate the gronckle in one bite. All of his companions gasped in disbelief and shock. Méaróg had a look of fear on his face.

"That's terrible." The younger dragon cringed.

"Is that…?" Astrid trailed off, and Hiccup patted Toothless's neck.

"Alright bud, we gotta get out of here."

"You don't need to tell me twice."

"Now!"

Toothless and Méaróg barely managed to launch themselves off of the ledge they were on before the Queen lunged at them, giant maw snapping shut where they had just been standing. Countless dragons swarmed to the top of the volcano, a cacophony of screeches deafening the group. The sky was blotted out by the sheer density of dragons as they flew higher, and the Queen's giant head reached high towards them until an unlucky twin trickster got in her way, being pulled down to its death. Aran felt sick. That dragon's death was the only thing that allowed them to escape, and he felt horrible about it. As they were flying through the night, safely away from the volcano, Astrid started to talk.

"No, it makes perfect sense! It's like a giant bee hive. They're the workers, and that's-"

"Their queen. We know, Astrid. We're not idiots." Aran interrupted her, and she looked offended as she dismounted. "It's pretty obvious it's controlling them. You'd have to be an idiot not to notice." Somehow, her glare intensified. Hiccup wondered if they would ever get along.

"Let's find your dad." She made to run off.

"No!" Hiccup and Aran shouted at the same time. "No, no. No." Hiccup continued. "Not yet. They'll, they'll **kill** Toothless and Méaróg. No, Astrid, we have to think this through carefully." A warm feeling swelled in Aran's chest as Hiccup was defending both Toothless **and** Méaróg.

"Hiccup, we just discovered the dragon's **nest**. The thing we've been after since vikings **first** sailed here! And… you want to keep it a secret? To protect your **pet** dragons, are you serious!?" She seemed outraged, but Hiccup only turned to her, a serious look on his face.

"Yes." Her face softened as his didn't

"Besides, what do you think Stoick would do? Throw a rock at it? Swing an axe around that's smaller than its smallest tooth? Sorry to break it to you, Astrid, but that's definitely not gonna work." Aran added flatly.

"Okay…" She paused. "Then what do we do?"

"Just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out." Aran could tell from Hiccup's voice that he really had no idea what he was going to do.

"Okay." Astrid had an unreadable expression on her face. Then she punched him. " **That's** for kidnapping me." Hiccup sent the two dragons and Aran a face that clearly showed he didn't understand Astrid's habits.

And then she pulled him forward to kiss his cheek.

"That's for… everything else."

As Astrid ran off, Hiccup stared off after her. He had a funny look on his face, as if he wanted to enjoy what had just happened, but honestly, did she have to punch him? A lot of things inside told him he should really be happy about how Astrid did a complete 180, but something about it felt weirdly fake, and he didn't really see why she was acting so differently. Aran didn't need him to do anything special to be his friend, so why did Astrid require two near-death experiences and a very long flight to like him? It was off-putting, and he didn't like it. Toothless and Aran walked up behind him, both giving him equal looks of half-amusement, half-annoyance. Neither of them seemed very fond of Astrid. Méaróg was behind Aran, but didn't really seem to care about what had just happened.

"What are you looking at?" He sounded pretty offended, as well as embarrassed.

"She's weird." Toothless grumbled.

" _You know I know I've told you this before. She's cute, but she's still kind of a bitch even though you took her on a really pretty flight and shared like, your greatest secret with her._ " Hiccup groaned. Of course Aran had to pull the Irish out. It also continued to bother him that he thought Astrid was cute.

" _I don't like her as much as I thought I would._ " He had to admit, though he still kind of liked her. " _Those punches hurt._ " Aran laughed.

" _I bet I'm a way better kisser, and I wouldn't even feel the need to punch my person of interest. Clearly, I'm superior._ " Aran boasted before giving Hiccup a quick side hug and mounting Méaróg. " _Night, Hiccup! Sweet dreams!_ " As Hiccup watched Aran fly away, he felt a small blush creep onto his cheeks. What was that supposed to mean?

"Aran is a better mate for you." Hiccup heard Toothless laugh that weird sort of laugh that was extremely smug, and he hated that he didn't know what he was saying.

" _Would you not-_ " He realized he was still in Irish mode. "He's seventeen! It's not like that meant anything!" Hiccup felt his cheeks heat up even more. "And-And he's a guy! I don't- this isn't-" Toothless laughed more.

"Sure, it isn't."

"Argh, shut up, Toothless." Hiccup mounted him, flying him back to the cove before heading home. It had been an eventful day, and he did **not** need to deal with this.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,171**_

 **In which I remember that dragons can speak Dragonese. Also teasing. Hiccup continues to be confused about emotions. Astrid is problematic also. I dunno if you can tell but, I don't; really;; like her that much;;; in the first movie;;;; like, she's great? In the show? and she's okay in the second movie. I'm jsust;;; I wish the writers had handled her and Hiccup's relationship better. It feels very forced in my opinion.**

 **Anyways, this chapter was a lot of fun! We've gotten through a good chunk of the movie at this point, so I can't wait for Stoick to disown his own son :^) But hey, when there's Hiccup angst, Aran is always there to hug it all better yo (well, usually)**

 **Another important note at this point is like. I don't own the movie. I've been going off of the script and like, the clips I can find on youtube, along with this one site I found on my computer at home that lets me watch the full movie like illegally but... I'm at my dad's house, and I can't use my own computer, so I don't really want to use the pirated site on my dad's computer in case I fuck things up? So as for when the next part will be out, I honestly have no idea. I would like to do it as soon as possible, but I might not be able to continue until the weekend comes again.**

 **Also, yeah, Aran is on his period. Poor guy.**


	12. The Calm Before the Storm

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

The next day was the day Hiccup was supposed to face off against the monstrous nightmare. Aran didn't want to think about that. Aran decided he was going to hang out with the rest of the teens instead. Of course, he should probably be with Hiccup, trying to comfort him and reassure him, but he kind of felt as if he'd been spending too much time with the young viking as of late. He didn't need more rumors and suspicions that he was dating the other, as they weren't true, and Hiccup was still two years younger than him and the age gap between him and his prefered romantic partner wasn't allowed to be more than one until he turned eighteen. It was a shame, really. Ruffnut was pretty damn cute, and the two of them got along incredibly well, but she was still off limits due to his self-set rules. Really, quite a shame.

Unfortunately, Aran actually had a difficult time finding the other teens. It was Astrid he ran into first. She fixed a glare on him, and he'd been planning on ignoring her, but she seemed to want to talk to him. It was a bit odd, because for the most part, the two of them mutually agreed to dislike each other from a distance. Astrid left him alone, and in return he did the same, unless she needlessly insulted Hiccup for some nonsensical reason (see: the day she accused Hiccup of siding with the dragons when he'd been doing nothing during the entirety of training. Though it had been true, there was grounding for such a claim). While it was true that Aran tended to be rather protective of Hiccup, he had to say that it'd be hard not to after him confiding in him about all of his insecurities and problems. Though most of the Hooligan tribe tried to keep their muttering to a minimum when Aran was hanging out with him, they still definitely didn't hold back when he wasn't. It was problematic.

"Aran." He remembered that Astrid was there. Luckily, it hadn't been an awkward amount of time. It seemed she had debated with herself a long while before she began the conversation, and her voice was curt.

"Astrid." His voice was equally as curt, and a silence passed between them.

"I just want you to know that just because of," She paused. "Last night, we're still not friends." Aran shrugged.

"I didn't think we were. You're still a _bitch_." Astrid's eyes narrowed at the insult being thrown at her in Irish. She didn't know exactly what it meant, but she got the idea.

"Good. I don't want you getting any funny ideas. You're still a jerk." He laughed.

"Man, I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're pretty cute, but your personality could drive a bear off." Astrid glared up at him, and Aran lamented the fact that they were the same height. "It's a shame Hiccup thinks so highly of you." He thought aloud.

"Well, I'm-"

"You're everything he's not." The realization came to him slowly. "Everyone loves you, you're conventionally attractive, you're strong, reliable, people believe you can do what you say you will, you know how to get things done, people know you're smart…" Aran trailed off, one hand reaching up to fiddle with the triskelion coin attached to the end of his hair spiral. His other hand was on his hip, and he sort of wish he'd kept that realization to himself, because Astrid was giving him a weird look.

"Hiccup is smart." She stated quietly. "I thought everyone knew that he's the kind of guy who makes up for lack of muscle and drive with his brain." That surprised Aran.

"Oh, he's got drive alright." Was all he said before separating from her.

That had been an odd sort of encounter. It was probably one of the most civil conversations he'd ever had with Astrid, and he was surprised to hear that people (or at least Astrid; he wasn't sure about the rest of the village) recognized Hiccup's smarts. Perhaps they knew he had helped with design quirks that helped their weapons function better? Whatever the case, he was glad for that, and if he ran into Hiccup he would let him know. A sigh escaped him. He was trying not to think or worry about Hiccup until past noon, when the fight was supposed to happen. Luckily, it seemed Fishlegs was sitting, reading one of the villages very few books. Aran plopped himself on the bench his bigger friend had been sitting on, and the blond boy scooted over slightly to make room. He looked at him curiously, because while Aran didn't dislike the boy, the two of them didn't really talk too much. Aran shrugged.

"I'm just kinda bored. I don't wanna think about Hiccup fighting a dragon." He shuddered.

"Really? I thought he was like, really good at fighting dragons now or something." Fishlegs didn't close the book, and Aran glanced at it. It was open to a page on monstrous nightmares, which he supposed made sense, considering the upcoming fight- if one could even call it that.

"I'm allowed to worry." Aran laughed slightly. "Mind if I play my whistle?"

Fishlegs shook his head, and the two sat without speaking in a pleasant not-silence. Unlike his usual music choice, he'd chosen more subdued pieces. They weren't mournful or anything, but they were peaceful rather than upbeat and energetic. The cause of that was likely because of nerves, nerves relating to Hiccup's duty in the ring, nerves relating to the Red Death, which he had gotten the name of through some charades with Méaróg. He wanted to relax, and not think about dragons and humans being killed because of a tyrannical queen, or Hiccup facing his death at the claws of a blazing salamander. Fishlegs seemed to enjoy the relaxing choice of music, because he stayed there in silence even after closing the book of dragons. He stopped after a while, and Fishlegs clapped politely. Aran smiled as he stood from the bench, thanking the boy. He decided he needed something more exciting, and he didn't get far before he ran into some young Hooligan children who very excitedly pulled at his pants and insisted on him playing fun music. Their request was granted, and after whiling away some time doing that, he broke off to find the twins. Ruffnut and Tuffnut would be a fun distraction from his overbearing thoughts!

Aran actually heard Snotlout before he found him with the twins. There was a very loud chorus of 'Snotlout! Snotlous! Oi, oi oi!' as Aran saw the somewhat short male launch himself off of a cliff. It wasn't an extremely tall cliff, but it was, well, a cliff. Aran heard a splash from below and determined that it was probably safe when a shout of excitement followed after. It was quickly followed by laughter from the twins, and that was when Aran approached, an amused smile on his face. He wasn't sure at all why Snotlout had just jumped off a cliff, but he was sure he was about to find out.

"Hey, guys." He greeted simply. The twins turned to face him rather quickly, Ruffnut with a broad grin on her face. She tackled him, but ultimately failed at knocking him off of his feet, and it ended in a sort of hug. Tuffnut just kind of wandered over, eyes vaguely drifting towards the cliff. "I know I'm hot and all, but there's no need to throw yourselves at me." Aran joked, and Ruffnut punched him after leaving his embrace.

"Dude, you just missed Snotlout jumping off a cliff like an idiot. He's gonna freeze to death when he gets out." Ruffnut snorted as she laughed.

"Not to mention we're stealing his clothes." Tuffnut casually held up the articles of clothing. "We're gonna like-"

"Burn them."

"Cut 'em up."

"Bury them."

"Or…" The twins stopped talking before they could get into a fight. Sure, they wanted to argue, but Aran was pretty cool. "We could just throw his clothes in after him. They won't dry for days. They'll freeze on his skin if he tries to wear them."

"That's like…"

"Torture…" Ruffnut finished.

"I love it!"

Tuffnut's face broke into a grin as he ran to the cliff face, throwing the clothes over. Ruffnut laughed as she chased him, before solidly kicking him in the back and sending him flying down into the water. He screamed loudly, saying something about betrayal before hitting the water, and there was a lot of shouting from below. Splashing sounds followed soon after, and Aran could only assume they were fighting. Him and Ruffnut shared giddy looks before stripping and jumping in after the two who were already down there, and if Aran noticed her glance down in surprise at the burn scar on his chest, neither of them said anything about it. It was a sudden realization to Snotlout that his clothes were floating away, and he began chasing after them, causing the other three to laugh before Tuffnut shoved his sister underwater as a sort of revenge for kicking him off a cliff. She spluttered when she came up, and a war began in the freezing water. At some point, Ruffnut's helmet flew off of his head, and the twins were too busy fighting to notice, so Aran had to bring it to shore himself. Snotlout was still retrieving his clothes, so Aran took pity on him and helped. The twins labeled Aran as a traitor for assisting 'the enemy' (Snotlout), and soon the water war included all four of them. It took a long while for them to get tired of the water, and neither side could agree on who was the victor.

"Umm, **obviously** we won, because of our twintuition." Tuffnut scoffed.

"Oh, please, it was because **I'm** the cutest one here." Ruffnut added.

"Well, you may be the cutest one here, Ruff, but I'd say Snotmouth and I won."

"Oi, it's Snotlout, and you know it!" The aforementioned 'Snotmouth' shouted. The group was dragging itself onto the beach. "And clearly, it's because I'm the strongest and most manliest guy around." He flexed, and Aran laughed.

"Dude, I'm the manliest. Look at that fat." Aran smacked his arm.

"Hey!"

"No way guys, I'm the manliest." Tuffnut said, rather seriously.

"Tuff. I'm manlier than you. And I'm a girl."

"Okay, but back up here, how is Aran manlier than me?" Aran laughed.

"Dude, I'm like a head taller than you and I have an awesome scar on my chest." He pointed at the scar, as if he really needed to.

"Yeah, where'd you get that?" It seemed that had been weighing on Ruffnut's mind from before they jumped off the cliff, and it occurred to Aran that he'd only really mentioned the scar's origin to Hiccup and Stoick in the first few days he'd been on the freezing cold Isle of Berk.

"Well you see, one night I was turning the same age as you youngins," Offended cries that they weren't that young came, but he ignored them. "and my friends took me out drinking. I don't really remember the rest of it, but my brother took me home, and I woke up with this nasty burn on my chest." Aran half explained as the group climbed back up to where they had jumped from, to retrieve Ruffnut and Aran's clothes. They could have gone around to the stairs, but this way was faster, and much more fun if Tuffnut nearly losing his grip and falling back down to the ground meant anything.

"Wait, friends? Brother?" Tuff asked as he regained his grip.

"Yeah. They're probably dead." Aran laughed, but the idea of his old friends being dead wasn't a fun thought. They reached the top. "I try not to think about it." The group was quiet as they put their clothes on.

"Hey, at least the best of the bunch survived." Ruffnut smiled at him. While it was weird for any of them to need sympathy towards the other, she was most likely to try, and Aran smiled back.

"Hell yeah. I bet I could beat Snotlout at arm wrestling."

"No you can't!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Tuffnut shouted, and continued to chant the rest of the way to Meade Hall. Ruffnut joined in, and Snotlout continued to protest for the entire walk.

As the group entered the hall, Aran spotted Hiccup looking glum, and his good mood was nearly soured at the reminder of what would be happening in probably less than an hour. He shook his head. He would talk to Hiccup after destroying Snotlout. The rowdy group of teens sat at a table where Fishlegs was sitting, and Astrid had been sharpening her axe. Finished plates of food sat in front of them, and twins plus Snotlout grabbed plates, devouring them before Ruff and Tuff continued their chanting. Astrid raised a brow, ceasing her sharpening, and Aran wondered if that had been something she'd been doing to calm her nerves. While he was sure she was nowhere near as worried about Hiccup as he was, she was probably still worried, and had probably been hacking away at the thick bark of trees all day. Fishlegs had been babbling endlessly before they sat down, though it was more excitement than nerves.

"I'm about to destroy Snotlout's arm." Aran explained pleasantly as he put his elbow on the table, Snotlout sitting across from him doing the same. Nearly a second after Tuffnut had shouted for them to start, Snotlout's hand slammed against the table.

"Okay, no fair, I wasn't ready." He complained, but the look on his face showed Aran that he knew he couldn't win. Aran just smirked, sharing an amused look with Astrid. The two of them weren't friends, but they could always appreciate humiliating Snotlout.

"Fine, fine, let's go again." Aran stated as they resumed their previous positions. He felt Snotlout trying his best, and pushed back with only enough force to keep them in place. Aran yawned exaggeratedly, and tried not to do anything more than smirk at Snotlout's face turning red from both exertion and embarrassment.

"You're welcome to give up at any time, Snotlout." Astrid commented idly.

"Astrid, babe, come on, you know I'm going easy on him." She rolled her eyes.

"Sure you are."

"Uh, duh. He's got a burn, Astrid. I'm a sympathetic person, I wouldn't go all out against a cripple." Aran snorted at that.

"Hate to break it to you, Snotlout, but like, your face is red."

"Yeah, I think that means you're going all out and you're losing big time." Ruffnut continued her brother's statement.

"Aaaand, I'm bored with this." Aran put effort into it, and it wasn't too hard to beat Snotlout. His strength had already been waning a bit, and adding sudden force was enough to catch him off guard and slam his hand into the table.

"Ow…" He winced, rubbing his hand. Ruffnut snickered, but before she could even say anything, he began to protest. "Hey, you saw his arms! This guy is like, pure muscle!" Ruffnut had no comeback to that. She **had** seen his arms. They were impressive.

"I achieved it through both God's blessing and by fighting bears." Aran joked as he stood up. Obviously, he hadn't been fighting bears, but he couldn't exactly tell them he was wrestling with his dragon of a brother. "Anyways, I just saw Hiccup leave. I need to talk him out of being nervous about the match, so I dunno if I'll be catching up with you guys later." He really didn't even know what would happen during or after the match.

The group nodded, and for once they didn't make some joke, or insult towards Hiccup. They probably understood the sentiment. They would be nervous if they had to kill a dragon. Aran met Astrid's eyes as he stacked the plates, and she gave him a look of understanding. He moved the plates to the pile of used dishes before hurrying out of the hall. Hiccup hadn't been walking very fast thankfully, so Aran caught up to him rather easily, not needing to call his name to get his attention. The two of them fell in step, and no words were exchanged as they walked. Aran suspected that Hiccup didn't have a goal in mind, so the two wandered. Wanting to start talking, he brought up something Astrid had said earlier.

"You know, I was talking with Astrid this morning, and she seemed surprised when I told her something about people not appreciating your brain." Hiccup raised a brow at him. "She said she thought everyone knew you make up for your not so great qualities with your smarts." Aran poked his head, and Hiccup forced a laugh out. It made Aran frown. He wasn't really sure what to say to Hiccup.

"Well that's a shocker." They were quiet for another moment, and Aran looked around. There were people about.

" _So, have you decided what to do about the- the salamander?_ " Hiccup looked a little confused at that, before he remembered that 'blazing salamander' was what Aran had renamed the monstrous nightmare.

" _Well, I'm kind of just hoping it'll see I'm useless and take a nap._ " Aran punched him very lightly. " _Joking._ "

" _I'm going to start calling you Hiccup the Useful if you're not careful._ " Hiccup groaned.

" _Gods, no, anything but that!_ " His voice was dramatic, but the two of them laughed after exchanging amused looks. " _Really, though. I don't really know how I'm going to get everyone to see they're not bad._ " Aran shrugged.

" _You didn't think about it last night?_ "

" _I had my mind on other things._ " Things like how he couldn't believe he'd never really noticed how much he wanted to touch Aran's eyebrows. They were embarrassing thoughts. " _Like- like, umm, Astrid._ " Did he? He kind of thought about how confused he was that she was suddenly kissing him. Then she just acted like they didn't even know each other that day. Even then, he was mostly just thinking about how Aran's shirt is weird and he didn't understand why someone would have a shirt that exposed the shoulders but still had long sleeves, though he wasn't really complaining because it gave a nice view of the freckles all over his skin when he took his jacket off and- Hiccup didn't know why he was thinking about that. He glanced at Aran's very covered shoulders and blushed, though he hoped it wasn't noticeable. If it was, Aran didn't say anything about it.

" _Astrid is still a bitch._ " Less of a bitch, but still a bitch. He wouldn't voice those thoughts though.

" _I don't know, I-I think she's…_ " What did Hiccup think Astrid was? She was strong, smart, respected, not very kind, pretty attractive, but then that was a very shallow sort of knowledge. " _She's…_ "

" _She's cute._ " Aran shrugged, and Hiccup frowned. " _Ruffnut's cuter. Shame all of you are so young, though. Maybe I'll think about it next year._ " Right. Next year, Aran would be eighteen. He had a very strict view on dating for some reason.

" _I still think it's weird that you like Ruffnut._ " He didn't stutter, but he'd almost felt his voice crack. It was very frustrating. Aran just shrugged again.

" _She's a riot, and sometimes I catch her alone, talking to worms. It's cute._ " Hiccup still thought that was weird, and a part of him thought about how Aran never caught him talking to worms. Hiccup thought that thought was even weirder, and frowned.

" _If you say so…_ " There was a pause.

" _You know, about the salamander…_ " Hiccup looked up at him (only slightly, though! He was only two inches shorter). " _I guess just… try to pat its snout? I don't know if I ever talked about Mathilda-_ "

" _Wasn't she a girl from your hometown?_ " Aran laughed, shaking his head.

" _Mathilda? Nah, she's a salamander. I probably told you that as a lie because I let the name slip. Anyways, she's like this bright blue and yellow, and she's really timid. She honestly hates being around this village, so I don't see her too often, and she usually just takes a sheep from the outskirts of town. The first time I met her had been because a poorly aimed bola hit missed its target and managed to get her instead because it flew so far. She was thrashing about, terrified, lighting herself on fire, but when I made it clear I wasn't a threat, she stopped. After I put my hand on her snout she just about completely relaxed, and when I cut her free, she nuzzled against my face a bit._ " He shrugged, ignoring the weird looks he got from people around them. He was used to the looks he got when he spoke full paragraphs of Irish. " _It's just a wild guess, but it's worth a shot. Make sure he knows you mean no harm, and give him a little pat on the snout. He might show some affection, and the village might be confused enough to try and believe you._ "

" _Yeah, it's worth a shot… if he doesn't eat me alive first._ " He shuddered.

" _He won't!_ " Aran insisted. " _And if he tried, I will go into the ring myself and give him a stern lecture before picking you up and carrying you out, because you'll probably be too petrified to move. It'll be super dramatic._ " Hiccup's cheeks flushed.

" _I wouldn't be petrified!_ " He insisted, fiddling with the helmet his dad had given him what seemed like years ago. While he didn't particularly want to wear it (it made him look even more scrawny and awkward somehow), he knew that not wearing it in the ring that day would be a huge insult to his mother. Aran snickered.

" _Yeah you would be, you softie._ " Aran nudged him, and Hiccup huffed.

" _Says the- the, umm…_ " It wasn't often that Hiccup found himself at a loss for words. " _You're a jerk._ " He finished lamely.

" _If you were really scrambling for opposites, you could have said I was a solid hunk of muscle. It's basically what Snotlout called me earlier._ " Hiccup made a choking sound in the back of his throat as he tried not to think about the only time he'd seen Aran shirtless. Why was he like this? That was two years ago!

" _Oh, really? I was convinced you were just made of freckles._ " He would have poked him in the cheek to prove his point, but his hands shook just thinking about that, and he stiffly gripped at his own vest instead. At least his snark had finally left his mouth. He was starting to get worried it was stuck in his throat.

" _You're one to talk._ " He'd forgotten that he even had freckles. Plan backfired.

" _Please, you have more freckles on your nose than I do on my entire body._ " Aran just snorted slightly, amused smile on his face. Something occurred to Hiccup then. " _You weren't at dragon training yesterday._ "

" _Oh yeah._ " He chewed the inside of his cheek. After all, he couldn't just tell Hiccup he was bleeding from his nether regions, could he? A part of him was extremely glad that these time periods were extremely short, and the bleeding was only heavy on the first day (thank goodness the water was dark, otherwise, he probably wouldn't have gone swimming that day). The other part was just frustrated that he had them in the first place. He had nothing against his privates being the way they were, but it's very hard to live life with them sometimes. " _I was bleeding._ " Hiccup raised a brow, to signify that the explanation was not enough. " _Okay, well, it's kind of weird to talk about, so I'll tell you tomorrow or something. When I'm ready for it._ " He didn't think Hiccup would really judge him for it, considering how close they were, and the fact that he was one of his only friends, but still. Aran wanted to be in the right mindset. " _I'll definitely tell you, though._ "

" _I'll hold you to it._ " He smiled. As the two of them continued their wandering, Hiccup slowly began to realize that he'd lost track of time, and his older friend was directing them towards the arena. Panic seized him. " _I'm going to die. If any part of this goes wrong, I'm either going to get eaten by a dragon, or my dad is going to kill me. That is, if someone else doesn't get to me first._ "

" _Hiccup, you're gonna be fine._ " Aran reassured him with a smile, and Hiccup didn't understand how he could be so confident in him.

" _I-I can't do it._ " He put a hand to his head. They had stopped, somewhere near the arena, if the noise was any way to judge, but no one was really nearby. " _M-maybe I can just fly away on Toothless, and never have to deal with this._ " Aran fixed him with a hard stare.

" _I guess you could do that. You'd be leaving the Red Death to continue demanding food that the rest of the dragons have to steal from, well, not only the Hooligan tribe, but the Berserkers, and all the other tribes in the archipelago. People and dragons alike will keep dying, but you could do that._ " And now the guilt was eating him alive. Of course. Just what he needed.

" _Thank you. For summing that up._ " Aran shook his head.

" _You can do this, Hiccup._ " The confidence in his voice was unwavering as he put a hand on his shoulder. " _If there is anyone in the world I believe can bridge the gap between human and dragon, it's you. You're stubborn, you're smart, you're brave, though I know you won't admit it, and in the surprisingly short time I've known you, I've learned that you're always going to try and put other's needs before your own. You sacrificed hours and hours of sleep just to get Toothless in the sky again, and I know that you're going to do whatever it takes to get the village to see dragons in the light we see them in._ " Hiccup opened his mouth to say something, but Aran put a finger to his lips. " _This is just the first step, and while it's going to be tough take this one alone, I'm going to be there with you for the rest of the journey, even if you don't really need it._ " The younger boy looked away with a sigh.

"Aran, I'm not-" Aran cupped his face in his hands, making him look him directly in those warm brown eyes that always radiated kindness. Now, they were filled with conviction and absolute certainty.

" _Hiccup Haddock, you are amazing, and you can do this._ "

For once, Hiccup believed him. His throat felt thick, and though he almost wanted to cry, he refrained. He darted forward to hug the other tightly, and the hug he received in return was equally tight. A hand he knew to bear a fingerless glove reached up, freckled fingers brushing through his hair in the best way. He buried his face into Aran's neck, not caring if it was weird because there really were no good places to put it. Aran's heartbeat was strong, and he felt his match course, making him feel much calmer than he had all day. Even when he pulled away, he couldn't find it in him to feel embarrassed by the sudden hug, because Aran's words were out of his mouth before he could even process that they had really finished hugging.

"Now you go out there, and pat a snoot."

Hiccup snorted. Of course it was just the calm before the storm, but Aran's positivity could rub off on just about anyone. Even **his** insecure, anxiety-riddled ass.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,664**_

 **In case you couldn't tell this was a filler chapter because I was in the mood to like. Not write directly from the movie. And I needed to include all of the other teens? Please tell me if anyone is ooc I honestly have no idea how to write for anyone but Hiccup orz**

 **Also, I didn't remember Aran was supposed to be on their period until after I wrote the swimming scene, and there was no way I was gonna take THAT out so umm, please just deal with it? sorry? that was a mistake I didn't mean for that to happen? maybe they were using like, viking tampons. they had those kinda I think (it was just like cotton ya stick up ur tube but w/e)**

 **Anyways, this is a good time, Hiccup is beginning his gay crisis, we're gonna get him disowned right quick and then everyone'll like him after he saves the day but :^) Aran was there for him the whole time :^))) just saying :^)))))) *squints Astrid* also yeah I cut out her scene where she gives 'emotional support' to Hiccup right before the match because I felt that Aran could pull it off a lot better lmao. She's gonna bump into Aran tho and they're gonna wait like right outside the gate in mutual worry or something**

 **I dunno when I'll update again tho and I'm? I am probably failing all of my classes so maybe I should take a break bUT ALSO I FORGOT TO MENTION MY GIRLFRIEND BOUGHT ME A TOOTHLESS FROM BUILD A BEAR? He's so cute. He's wearing like a little blue fancy shirt/vest/tie combo with a sparkly pink headband and he's so cute I love him? I'm also working on drawing a cover for this fic btw, but I dunno when that'll be finished. It's gonna have a pretty good drawing of Aran so you can check out what they look like when I do that.**

 **Anyways for real the A/N ends here, I just like talking a lot, don't feel scared to review or anything, I love talking about my things, but if you don't want to review that's okay, I hope you enjoy this self-indulgent thing that I write :')**


	13. Give Me Your Hand

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

It seemed the entire Hooligan tribe was surrounding the arena, chanting Hiccup's name before the match. His nerves came back almost full-force, but a reassuring smile from Aran, who refused to separate from his side to go up in the stands, helped him relax just the slightest bit. Astrid had checked with them, but didn't seem to want to wait with Aran while Hiccup went in the match, so after a short conversation that did nothing to calm Hiccup's nerves, she left to observe from above. With Hiccup left alone with Aran, he almost wanted to ask for another hug, but the thought of that was embarrassing, and he wasn't sure why he wanted one for a moment. The sound of the crowd cheering stayed strong, even through Stoick's 'rousing' speech that made Hiccup want to die a little.

"I can show my face in public again!" It hadn't started out so bad. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from well, being, ah, Hiccup," And that was where it went downhill. Hiccup felt something clench in his gut. "To placing first in dragon training? Well, I would have tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad!" It was a bit different from the usual disappointment and self-loathing he felt for himself. This time, the clench in his gut had more to do with the fact that his father was finally proud of him, but he wasn't really proud of **him**. Hiccup felt a little sick. "And you know it!" Stoick raised his voice as the crowd grew louder. "But here we are." He continued when it had died down. "And no one is more surprised, or more proud, than I am." The tears that had threatened to escape him while hugging Aran returned at full force, prickling hot at the backs of his eyes as he held them in. It wasn't as if he was unfamiliar with preventing himself from crying, so he didn't have too much trouble on that front. "Today, my boy becomes a viking. Today, he becomes one of us!"

The crowd practically erupted in cheers, the chanting from before returning in full force. Hiccup stared at the ground, feeling a bit numb. Did he even want to become one of them at this point? He vaguely moved his gaze to the helmet he held in his hands. If he was being completely honest, he hated touching the thing. It almost seemed to burn his hands, covered in thoughts of the mother he never got a chance to know. He often wondered how different his life would have turned out if she had been around, and though he always told Aran he couldn't miss someone he'd never known, he knew he was lying to himself as well as his friend. Though he didn't want to touch the helmet, he found himself unable to live with the thought of throwing it out, because it clearly meant a lot to his father, and even himself if he thought of it. He would just rather keep it displayed somewhere in the house as opposed to wearing it everywhere.

"It's time, Hiccup. Knock 'em dead." Gobber said as he stepped into view. Hiccup nodded, moving to the gate, which had yet to be closed.

" _Good luck, dragon boy._ " Aran smiled gently, but it was filled with such confidence, Hiccup wondered if he was even real.

A different sort of queasiness bubbled up in his stomach then, though it was one he was all too familiar with. It was a strangely pleasant feeling, though he felt his heart racing despite that. As Hiccup met Aran's eyes, he suddenly realized just what kind of queasiness this was. It was always with Aran, regardless of what they were doing. They could be flying together, sitting in silence, having animated conversations, showing off their drawings and discoveries, anything really, and the same fluttery feeling would fill him. It explained the frustration he felt when the older teen mentioned Ruffnut and Astrid being cute, and it explained why Hiccup found his eyes glued to him when he wasn't thinking. The sudden epiphany was extremely unwelcome right before the match, and Hiccup sent Aran his most convincing smile.

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it." And he was only somewhat surprised that he didn't feel the need to ask Aran to keep Toothless safe. It didn't need saying, really. He knew Aran would do anything in his power to do so. The Irish boy seemed to care for the night fury a great deal. While it clearly wasn't quite as intense as how he cared for Méaróg, it was still easy to say that he cared for Toothless.

Gobber gave him a helpful nudge through the gates, and Hiccup took the opportunity to put his helmet on, partially due to the embarrassing blush on his face. Said blush was because of both his nerves, and his recent discovery. As he walked towards the weapons, the overwhelming din of noise nearly made him give up on the spot, but he remembered Aran's unwavering confidence in him, and found himself feeling just the slightest bit braver. Glancing up at the crowd was a bad idea, as his vision began to blur slightly, and he quickly focused his attention on the weapons, pretending he couldn't feel the critical stare he knew his father was giving him.

'Don't think about him. Don't think about Dad. This isn't about Dad. This is about all of the dragons.'

He somehow succeeded in not thinking about his dad when he chose a small dagger after picking up a shield. The dagger reminded him of the one he'd cut Toothless free with the first time they'd met. Guilt rushed through him, and he reminded himself he would only be holding it for a moment longer. He heard himself say he was ready, though he couldn't remember opening his mouth, and the thick logs barricading the pen of the monstrous nightmare slowly separated with a very loud creak. As they were nearly finished separating, Hiccup chanced a glance back towards Aran, feeling his heart hammering in his chest from sheer anticipation. Aran noticed, immediately giving him a reassuring smile, and two thumbs up. Hiccup's heart fluttered, and he was entirely sure that it was from two entirely different causes of nervousness.

When the dragon burst out of its pen, body aflame, Hiccup could have sworn he felt his heart stop. The movement had been so sudden, he'd nearly jumped a foot in the air. It struck Hiccup that the red scaled beast's immediate course of action was to scramble around the arena, searching for an escape route, and he wondered if Aran had noticed. It wasn't until the dragon had determined there was no possible way to escape that it noticed Hiccup, slowly stalking down from the chained dome and narrowing its eyes. The crowd waited with bated breath, his dad the only one to make a sound ("Go on, Hiccup. Give it to him!"), and somehow the only thing he registered from his dad speaking was that the nightmare was male. Hiccup backed away from him slowly, letting his shield and dagger slip away, clattering to the floor.

"Human hatchling? Strange one. What is your intent?"

"What is he doing?" Though his father was quiet, it was the only sound in a rather silent arena, so Hiccup heard him loud and clear, green eyes flicking up to where his father was seated before returning his focus to the dragon he was currently backing away from. Other audience members began to grumble in confusion and impatience.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay." Hiccup ignored them, trying to reassure the dragon.

"Okay? You disarm yourself. For what? What tricks do you have for me?"

The monstrous nightmare kept a low growl emanating from the back of his throat, and though Hiccup was nervous, he somehow couldn't find it in himself to be properly scared. He stalked towards him, every movement extremely slow and cautious. Yellow eyes flicked up briefly, and Hiccup followed his gaze, attempting to look at his own helmet before realizing what the nightmare wanted. He blatantly avoided his father's gaze, carefully removing his helmet. The dragon let out a huff of air from his nostrils as Hiccup looked back at him, helmet in hand. His decision had been made from the start, but it was when green eyes met yellow that he found his conviction.

"What will you do, hatchling?"

"I'm not one of them." He declared, throwing his helmet down, off to the side. Gasps came from all around, but he ignored all voices but his father's.

"Stop the fight." The large man ordered as he stood from his seat.

"No!" Hiccup was slightly surprised by the strength of his voice. He'd been feeling confident, but he didn't realize he'd felt **that** confident. "I need you all to see this." The boy reached his hand closer to the nightmare, not backing away as he had before.

"Strange one. Your actions are in conflict with the flock." He sniffed at the outstretched hand, confused and perhaps… a small bit hopeful? "Who are you?"

"They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them."

"Can the hatchling be trusted…?" The dragon's pupils dilated, lids lowering slightly. It wouldn't be hard to nudge his head forward slightly, feel the soft hand of the wingless against his snout…

" **I said stop the fight!** " Stoick shouted, standing up fully and hitting his hammer against the cage of the arena with a loud clang.

Just like that, the spell was broken, and pupils turned to slits once more as yellow eyes snapped open so suddenly Hiccup barely had time to move out of the way before large, red jaws were snapping at him. Hiccup screamed in panic, running away from the dragon, not having been prepared for this result after coming so close to his goal. His heart hammered in his chest as he ran for his life, and he wished his father was the type of man who would think through his actions more thoroughly. There was no way Hiccup could possibly think of to calm the dragon down now, and his focus was now on survival.

"A trap! Noise! The wingless hatchling is full of lies!" The nightmare screeched.

"Hiccup!" Aran shouted in panic, looking around frantically for a way to pry open the heavy gate.

An axe was hanging on the wall, but there was no way he would be able to fit through whatever small gap that would make. A split second of thought was all he had, and all he could think to do to save Hiccup from the jaws of death itself was to pull out his tin whistle, loudly playing a shrill note that always had Méaróg thrash about, covering his ear holes to avoid hearing. This seemed to succeed for a moment, and Hiccup very narrowly escaped a bite as the dragon thrashed its head about. Aran couldn't hold the note forever, unfortunately, but it was enough for Stoick to come out of nowhere, lifting the gate as if it were nothing.

"This way!"

Aran and Stoick shouted in unison, but Hiccup couldn't make it to the exit before the nightmare blasted red hot fire at him, narrowly missing as it sailed above his head, hitting the frame of the exit and causing him to scramble away. His scrambling didn't last long, and soon the long, pitch black talons of the monstrous nightmare had made a small cage for him on the ground. He leered at the human, and everyone feared the worst until a familiar whistling sound pierced their ears. Aran would be lying if he said his face hadn't split into a wide grin upon hearing that."

" **Away!** " Came the short shout of the night fury as he blasted through the bars of the arena dome.

"Bringer of destruction!" The nightmare felt intimidated in the powerful dragon's presence, clawed foot nearly crushing Hiccup under his weight, but he was nothing if not prideful. If this dragon wanted to pick a fight, he would be more than willing to give it his all.

All Aran could see was a huge cloud of smoke, large wings beating wildly. He heard screeching, and the telltale sounds of a fight, but no shots of fire or plasma. The two reptiles rolled out from the flames, at each other's necks, clawing and biting at each other, though Aran had to worry that Toothless didn't have the sharpest teeth or claws. He was definitely a dragon that specializes in air speed and stealth, and was out of his element in this situation, but he refused to back down. As the cloud of smoke dissipated, Aran spotted Hiccup's silhouette, and before Stoick could do anything about it, Aran had darted into the arena. With Toothless there, he knew Hiccup would be protected fiercely, but the dragons were fighting so violently some kind of accident could happen and it would all be over. He helped Hiccup to his feet, and at that point, it seemed as if the smoke had never been there in the first place. The nightmare tried to dart around the night fury, feeling betrayal from the small figure despite the situation being entirely Stoick's fault.

"Back!" Toothless screeched at the larger dragon. "Away from my young!"

"A wingless hatchling! It isn't yours! The traitor!" The nightmare screeched back.

"He is my **young!** " Toothless lunged forward, and the nightmare backed away, retreated into his pen. With that crisis averted, Hiccup had another issue on his hand.

"Alright Toothless, get out of here." He tried to push the night fury away, but he wouldn't budge.

"Young needs to be protected!" Vikings began to pool into the ring.

"Go, go!" He pushed harder.

"Hiccup, he's not going to leave if you're not with him!"

"Stoick, no!" Astrid's shout caught their attention, and they were very suddenly aware of the large man lumbering towards them, axe in hand.

"No, dad! Dad, he won't hurt you!" The panic was clear in his voice, and vikings were flicked away from Toothless by means of tail and wing, but the dragon wasn't firing at any of them, at least. "No- Oh, no, don't, you're only making it worse!" At that point, Toothless tackled his dad, and he honestly didn't know if he was talking to Toothless or the entire Hooligan tribe at that point. "Toothless, stop!" He shouted, but Toothless didn't stop. In fact, Toothless reared back, fully prepared to shoot a plasma blast in his dad's face. "No! **No!** " Something about the tone in Hiccup's voice seemed to get through to the dragon.

"Dangerous man? No kill?" Toothless crooned, confused at the strangely concerned yet terrified expression on Hiccup's face.

"Get him!" Unfortunately the moment was taken for the Hooligans to capture Toothless.

"Oh, no, no, no, please, just don't hurt him!" Hiccup lunged forward, in an attempt to get back to one of his only friends, but Aran held him back, a sad look in his eyes. "Please don't hurt him…" He repeated, more quietly.

"I don't understand…" Toothless's whine was pitiful, confused, and something Hiccup had never wanted to hear.

Stoick observed the scene with a harsh look on his face. It was a rare sunny day on Berk, and this was what happened. Multiple vikings had the night fury pinned down, force especially applied to keep his mouth closed, tail and wings pinned. Various people stood at the edges of the arena, not wanting to get too close in case the worst happened. Hiccup was… reaching out to the dragon helplessly. Aran had seized him in a sort of hug from behind, which had obviously initially been to hold him back, but Hiccup had stopped struggling against his hold after only a few moments. Stoick's voice was as harsh as his eyes were when he spoke.

"Put it with the others."

His eyes rounded on his son, and Aran released Hiccup as soon as he noticed Stoick looking at them. He marched over, roughly seizing Hiccup by the arm and practically dragging him to Meade Hall. Aran followed, and the two of them made eye contact, Aran mouthing something to him that Stoick couldn't make out. The Irish boy was halted in his tracks by a glare from Stoick, and he looked down at the ground as the chief practically threw his son through the doors of the great hall. He would probably be listening to Stoick's entire lecture (if it could be called that), but Stoick found he didn't even care. He probably spied on all of their lectures anyways.

"I should have known. I should have seen the signs."

"Dad?" Stoick continued on as if Hiccup hadn't spoken.

"We had a deal!" His voice seemed to echo in the dark, empty hall.

"I know we did, but that- that was before, I- ahh, it's all so messed up…"

"So everything in the ring. A trick!? A lie?"

"I screwed up." Hiccup said rather quickly. "I-I-I should have told before now, I just…" There was a pause. "Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please, just don't hurt Toothless."

"The dragon? **That's** what you're worried about!? Not the people you almost killed?" Wow. Aran supposed Stoick didn't have eyes, because Toothless could have plasma blasted all of them to death if he'd wanted to.

"He was just protecting me! He-he's not dangerous!"

"They've killed **hundreds** of us!"

"And we've killed **thousands** of them! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they **have** to. If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves." Aran wanted to scream just a little, because Hiccup wasn't supposed to reveal anything about the nest, yet here he was. "There's… something else on their island. A-a-and it's a dragon like-"

"Their island? So you've been to the nest?"

"Did I say nest?"

"How did you find it?"

"What? No, I-I didn't. Toothless did, only a dragon can find the island." Aran wanted to scream a little bit more. He could only imagine the look on Stoick's face. "No, no, no, Dad. No, please, it's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against, it's like nothing you've ever seen." Aran heard a shove. "Dad, please, I promise you, you can't win this one!" Never tell a viking he can't win something. He'll probably take it as a challenge. "No, dad, no…" Aran could see Stoick through the door that had been left ajar, and his stony expression was frightening. "For once in your life, would you please just listen to me!?" Hiccup had grabbed his arm, and Stoick threw Hiccup off of him, the boy landing hard on the ground, eyes wide.

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a viking. You're not my son." Aran clenched his fists. "Ready the ships!" Stoick called as he left the hall, and Aran decided to talk with him briefly.

"You're going to fight a dragon the size of a mountain by throwing rocks at her? Good luck with that. She could probably use a spear as a toothpick, though that might be a bit small." Stoick glared down at him, and he felt small.

"Don't tell me you're just like him." Aran glared back up at him.

"I don't have a dead brother, Stoick. My brother is alive, he's a dragon, I grew up with him, and he would never hurt anyone unless he was protecting me. Neither would Toothless, or any other dragon out there. I don't know if family means anything to you, but it does to me, and I've been the one picking Hiccup up for the past two years when everything you say to him makes him hate himself. Maybe you should think about your actions sometimes."

Was it too much to say? Probably, but Aran was fed up with Stoick. The only thing that kept him from staying there and arguing with Stoick was the fact that Hiccup needed his support. Otherwise, Aran probably would have punched Stoick. He would definitely lose the fight that followed, but he would still do it. Aran left Stoick standing there, not catching the falter in the chief's step as he entered the great hall, which was still extremely dark. Hiccup hadn't moved from the ground, and his eyes were still wide. Neither of them spoke a word, and Aran quietly urged Hiccup to stand, walking him over to a bench before lighting a nearby candle and sitting next to him. Aran didn't know what to do, if he should say anything, put an arm around him, play music for him… It was a terrible position to be in, and the shaking in Hiccup's shoulders made him feel awful. His green eyes were fixed at some spot on the ground, but Aran could tell he wasn't really looking at it.

A sigh escaped Aran's lips, and Hiccup didn't look at him. He put a tentative arm around the younger boy, and when he didn't flinch away from his touch, he pulled him closer. Hiccup slowly shifted their position, burying his face in Aran's chest as he hugged him. The shaking in his shoulders was impossible to hide, and Aran brushed his fingers through soft brown locks as he rubbed Hiccup's back. A terribly silent moment passed between them, and the shaking refused to leave. Hiccup also seemed to refuse to cry, and Aran's frown deepened. His voice, though made as gentle and quiet as possible, seemed too loud in the dark and empty hall.

"It's okay to cry, Hiccup."

That seemed to open the floodgates, and after choking a little, Hiccup was soon sobbing into his chest, letting all of his emotions flow out of him in the form of hot tears that couldn't choose one feeling to stick to. He was upset that they took Toothless. He was angry that his father (could he even call him that anymore?) hated him. He was sad that he never got to know his mother. He was worried that the man he called father could be going off to his death soon. He was ashamed for enjoying the hugs Aran gave him too much. He was bitter that nobody wanted him around for who he really was. He was confused as to what labels to assign his thoughts and feelings, and instead just let them be free, almost trying to expel all of it. Hiccup couldn't even remember the last time he'd allowed himself to cry, and the firm yet gentle circles Aran was rubbing on his back only encouraged him to let it out, the hand in his hair a constant reminder that this was okay. That it was okay to cry. He hadn't even noticed Aran humming until his sobs had subsided, turning into wet sniffles that felt a little disgusting. It took even longer for him to trust himself to speak, and at first he had trouble getting any sound to leave his throat.

"... W-what-what are you, umm, humming?" He felt about as weak as he sounded.

"Mm, it's just an old song from my hometown." Aran sounded wistful, and Hiccup blinked. After bawling his eyes out, he found that he wanted a bit of a distraction, and vaguely wondered if Aran cared that he hadn't moved from his chest despite the wet spot on his friend's shirt. He didn't stop his soothing movements, so Hiccup supposed he would just appreciate it while he could, despite the weird guilt clawing at him.

"C-could you maybe…?" He trailed off, not sure if Aran would want to sing, but the gentle smile he received made him feel silly for even thinking that. Hiccup knew that Aran loved singing, even if he'd only heard him sing lively folk songs and this one was clearly more subdued. His cheeks flushed slightly.

"I'd be more than happy to." Aran cleared his throat, and when he began it was in the familiar Irish lilt Hiccup had come to enjoy.

" _Will you give me your hand,_

 _and the world it can see,_

 _that we can be free,_

 _in peace and harmony?_

 _From the north to the south._

 _From the east to the west._

 _Every mountain, every valley,_

 _every bush and every nest."_

"..." Hiccup was quiet for a moment, staring up at his friend who had stopped after that short excerpt upon feeling his stare. "That's…"

" _It's not my usual style, I know._ " He smiled, and Hiccup feared that he'd given him the wrong impression with his staring.

"N-no, no, no!" Hiccup scrambled for words to say. "It was…" Beautiful. "It was good." That wasn't enough. "Great. It was great. Amazing even." But now he'd felt that was too much…

"Oh, I…" Aran's eyes widened, but Hiccup couldn't pinpoint why. "Thank you."

The younger pushed away, opening his mouth to apologize to Aran for crying on him, but the look he shot him prevented him from doing so. Hiccup didn't really want to leave. There in Meade Hall, Aran's arms around him, the warm light of candle, it all made him feel so safe, as if he were in a realm where his problems didn't exist. It was when he thought of Toothless, scared and alone, leading who may or may not be his father anymore to the nest, that he worked to firm up his resolve. His voice when he spoke again was stronger than it had been previously, but the words that came out were not the words he intended.

"Is there more?" Aran blinked before realizing he was talking about the song, and he thought about it. What Hiccup didn't know was that the song was a slight bit more romantic than he'd let on, but he didn't want him to know that. A smile spread across his heavily freckled face. He'd been thinking of the song because of the less romantic aspects of it, after all, and they seemed rather fitting of the situation.

" _Just give me your hand,_

 _in a gesture of peace._

 _Will you give me your hand,_

 _and all troubles will cease,_

 _for the strong and the weak,_

 _for the rich and the poor?_

 _All peoples and creeds,_

 _let's meet their needs._ " Aran's voice cut out and he opted to hum the next lines.

"It's… it's nice." Hiccup mumbled. As far as he knew, it was simply a song about fixing problems and bringing peace about, and that was exactly what he wanted to do.

" _Yeah… The usual version is actually a bit faster and more lively, but I like my variation too._ " He shrugged, watching Hiccup stand.

"Aran, I…" Hiccup looked at the other, then glanced to the door of the great hall. "... Thanks. For… you know, always, uhh…" He struggled to get his words out.

"You don't need to thank me." Aran smiled. He seemed to do that a lot. "I'm always happy to help, even if you don't want to talk about anything."

And Hiccup really didn't want to talk about anything at that moment. He had his moment of weakness, and there were so many problems swarming around his mind, though they were pushed out of his thoughts somewhat because of his crying. Now wasn't the time to be talking about his problems. The only problem that mattered right now was that Stoick was leading the majority of the village, and Toothless, his other half, straight to their doom. He didn't know what the plan was quite yet, but he knew he had to do something. Hiccup didn't have to look behind himself to know that Aran was following him out of the great hall, and as he walked towards to pier and saw the many boats sailing off into the distance, his thoughts were filled with the song.

 _Will you give me your hand,_

 _and the world it can see,_

 _that we can be free,_

 _in peace and harmony?_

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,687_**

 **In the song (yes it's an actual song I'm not THAT creative lmao), I took the liberty of changing it from 'birds nest' to 'every nest' because that way the link to the Nest is stronger if that makes any sense. The song is just an Irish song I found, if you search up "give me your hand irish song" I'm sure you can find it (though it's common for it to not have lyrics I think. I found one with them tho) but the version Aran is singing is like, legit completely made up by me so oops I can't really direct you towards a place to listen to it haha**

 **I also need to stop ending each chapter with hugs lmao. On the other hand, I would like to say that I don't know how to feel about how I wrote Hookfang, and it was very difficult not to like, write his name lmao. He doesn't have a name yet so!**

 **I don't have much to say other than the fact that there's less than half an hour left in the first movie, and then we'll have some... fun stuff...**

 **Also I hope you guys don't think Hiccup's realization of how he's kinda feeling about Aran is weird? He hasn't really had much time to dwell on it, so for now it's not going to affect their relationship, but it will after they defeat the Red Death.**

 **The plan for this fic is to get through the first movie before doing some filler chapters, getting some completely original content in, and then starting back partway through Race to the Edge (I'm skipping Riders and Defenders of Berk). I'm not sure how that's going to play out, because RTTE isn't finished yet, but I can just kinda make some stuff up and flub through the ending of it (I can make some excuse for Aran to miss the end if need be) before moving onto the second movie. After the second movie, I'll focus on some random assorted stuff before ending the** **fic.**

 **Also, I somehow didn't realize this is kind of a slow-burn until like just now or yesterday or something. Hiccup and Aran literally take like, 6 or 7 years of knowing each other to get together and we're on like. Year 3. So uhh... yeah**

 **I dunno if that was a spoiler to you guys but oops oh well?**

 **My author notes tend to get away from me, and I'm not really sure if there was any important info I meant to include here so, I'll like end it here haha;;;**

 **Next time, Astrid will get an actually important scene in the fic as she begins to slowly become a better person, and then some more things will happen. Yeah.**


	14. The Red Death

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Aran and Hiccup had left Meade Hall in time to see the ships sailing away. Hiccup didn't know for sure which boat had Toothless, but he had a pretty good guess that it was the one his father had claimed as his own. He sighed, sitting down with his feet dangling from the pier after watching the ships sail off into the distance. Aran sat beside him, and neither of them spoke. They stayed there for a long while, no sounds around them save for that of nature, and Aran's occasional humming. Eventually, after some time had passed, Astrid approached, sitting on Hiccup's other side.

"... It's a mess." She said quietly, shaking her head. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything: your father, your tribe, your best friend…" Aran frowned in her direction as Hiccup averted his eyes. His next words were understandably frustrated.

"Thank you, for summing that up." Hiccup looked off to the horizon. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found them in the woods?" His eyes darted around, as if he didn't want to focus on one specific thing. "Would've been better for everyone."

"Yep. The rest of us would have done it." Aran frowned. He wanted to say that he wouldn't have, but then, he wasn't 'the rest of us' at all. He was just some outsider Stoick had been kind enough to let stay in the village. That thought made him blink, realizing that while Stoick didn't appreciate him being so touchy with Hiccup, he did definitely appreciate the fact that he was Hiccup's first friend besides Gobber. "So why didn't you?" Hiccup didn't respond for some time, and Astrid repeated herself more firmly. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know." Pause. "I couldn't."

"That's not an answer." He turned away from her, though he wasn't looking at Aran at this point.

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?" Aran had been wondering that himself.

"Because I want to remember what you say right now."

"Oh, for the love of-" He cut himself off, turning to face her directly. "I- **I** was a coward. I was weak." His voice cracked. "I wouldn't kill a dragon."

"You said 'wouldn't' that time." She pointed out.

"Oh-Y-Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred years, and I'm the first viking who wouldn't kill a dragon." He looked away from her.

"First to ride one though." Hiccup made eye contact with Aran, who nodded with a smile. Astrid had repeated what he'd said in the past, and he was sure Hiccup noticed it. "So?"

"... I wouldn't kill him because…" He met Astrid's eyes before fixing his gaze on the ocean. "He looked as frightened as I was." Aran gently patted his back, as if encouraging him to say more. "I looked at him, and I saw myself."

"I bet he's really frightened now. What are you gonna do about it?" Hiccup shrugged.

"Ehh, probably something stupid."

"Good, but you've already done that." Hiccup's eyes widened, clearly getting an idea. He quickly scrambled to his feet, Aran and Astrid following suit.

"Then something crazy." He began to run off, his next words a shout. "Aran, meet me at the arena with Méaróg!"

"Sure thing, mínirach!" He shouted back as he started walking in the opposite direction, and Astrid gave him a funny look, following him.

"What's that mean?"

"Oh, it's…" Aran laughed a little. "Mín is kinda the wrong word in this context, but it means soft, and arach is dragon in old Gaelic, I think. When we were talking about our dragons in secret, I kinda had to go with that because the usual Irish word isn't too different from yours. It's mínirach instead of mínarach because I liked the sound better. Anyways, I just like giving my friends nicknames in Irish. Snotlout is béalsnot, which is just snotmouth. Ruff and Tuff are garbh and comhlán, which mean rough and gross. Originally, Tuff was diana, because it was a direct translation, but he didn't like it very much and I didn't want them to trade nicknames." Astrid gave him a rare smile.

"You know, you're not so bad, Aran."

"Not so bad yourself, laochra banphrionsa _._ " She gave him a startled look.

"Laochra… banphriosa?"

"Banphrionsa." He corrected, laughing. "Laochra banphrionsa means warrior princess. Kind of a mouthful, so I might stick with laochra." Astrid, put a hand over her mouth, obviously stifling a laugh.

"Oh gods, please do." She realized something. "Wait, so if I'm… laochra or whatever, does that mean we're friends?" Aran's house was coming into view, and he turned to look at her, smile on his face.

"If you're going to keep being cool and not go back to being a soith."

"Okay, I know that means bitch." Aran raised his thick brows in mock offense.

"Why, I would never call such a beautifully deadly warrior princess a bitch!" Astrid didn't get the chance to respond, but an amused smile graced her lips. " _Méaróg, come quickly!_ " The desert wraith flew into view after a moment, and Astrid took a startled step back. She wasn't sure if Méaróg was fond of her, and she knew this was the first time she'd ever been to Aran's home.

"Brother? Is everything fine? I heard Toothless screaming earlier! Why is there water on your shirt?" The dragon nudged him in the chest, making sounds of concern before noticing Astrid. "What is she doing here?" He growled slightly, and Aran booped him on the nose.

" _I don't know what you're going on about, but Astrid is fine. We need to fly quickly to the arena, I know you know where it is. Hiccup needs help rescuing Toothless, I can tell you more on the way._ " He said quickly, mounting the pink dragon. "Come on, Astrid, it'll take forever to walk there from here."

"Okay…" She muttered, cautiously doing so.

"We're going to be going fast, so hang on tight."

That was her only warning before Méaróg launched to the sky with a strong beat of his large wings. Astrid let out a startled yelp before clinging to Aran's frame, being somewhat surprised at how different his body was from Hiccup's despite already knowing he was rather strong. The Irish teen had rather defined muscles, and was quite solid, especially when compared to Hiccup's twig-like build. Though they were going fast, Astrid had to wonder if they could go even faster. She remembered Toothless flying faster when he was trying (and unfortunately succeeding) to frighten the wits out of her, though she shouldn't have expected that sort of speed from Méaróg. The pale pink dragon seemed to be built more for endurance than speed. Even still, they touched down outside the arena only slightly after Hiccup had arrived with all the other teens in tow. Aran got off first before silently asking Astrid for help. She would have been offended, but she decided that was probably just in his nature. Her refusal was polite, and she walked in before him, as Aran wanted Méaróg to be last. Nobody knew about Méaróg save for her, Aran, and Hiccup, after all.

When they walked into the ring, Hiccup was slowly leading the monstrous nightmare out of his cage, walking backwards, one hand outstretched, barely brushing his snout. When Astrid joined the line of teens watching the two of them, nobody noticed, except for Snotlout, who gave her a weird look. She shook her head, and joined in staring at the boy and the dragon with wonder. Sure, she'd just been riding Méaróg, but it was incredible to see Hiccup make a bond with this dragon he'd barely interacted with, and had tried to kill him earlier that day. Aran and Méaróg stood behind the group, not drawing attention to themselves. Snotlout nervously picked up half of a spear that'd likely been broken when Toothless was being captured, and Astrid immediately made him put it back down. Hiccup approached his cousin, putting his free hand on Snotlout's arm.

"Wait, what are you-"

"Shh, relax." He ordered, as the nightmare made a sound. "It's okay. It's okay." He reassured Snotlout, though Snotlout decided to pretend he was talking to the dragon to soothe his ego. Snotlout's hand replaced Hiccup's on the nightmare's snout, and an excited laugh escaped him.

"Wait- where are you going?" He panicked slightly as Hiccup walked away.

"You're gonna need something to help you hold on." He explained as he got a long rope from a container of weapons and miscellaneous objects.

The group of teens had various looks of wonder and excitement as they turned to see the dragons they'd previously fought in training free in the ring, not making to attack them. They each gravitated towards different ones- Astrid to the nadder, the twins the zippleback, Fishlegs to the gronckle. Hiccup wandered over to stand by Aran and Méaróg as the others bonded with their new dragons, elated grins on their faces. After petting and talking to the dragons, it came time to attempt to mount them, and that was when they turned to face Hiccup again. Fishlegs let out a high pitched squeak at the sight of Aran and Méaróg, as none of them had seen the two arrive.

"Ah, hello." Aran smiled awkwardly. "This is my brother, Méaróg." He introduced.

"Stormfly! Barf! Belch! Hookfang! Meatlug!" Méaróg cawed at the dragons, having overheard them receiving names. Snotlout screamed, hiding behind Hookfang.

"Woah, wait, since when do you have a dragon?" Tuffnut seemed confused.

"Yeah, uhh, that's new." Ruffnut squinted at the pink scaled creature.

"I can't figure out what class it's supposed to be… I don't remember if I've seen it in the book of dragons…" Fishlegs muttered to himself.

"He's four years younger than me. I've known him since he hatched!" Aran smiled, a bubbly feeling in his chest as he finally got the chance to introduce his brother. "Also, I think he's a tidal class. He's a desert wraith, which is some variation of the sand wraith, but he doesn't seem to mind the cold too much." Fishlegs opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Hiccup didn't give him the chance.

"So, I know there's a lot to talk about, but we can do that later. Right now, we need to try and stop my d-dad-" Hiccup's voice sounded strained at that point, and Aran rubbed his back. "My dad is making Toothless lead the entire village to the dragon nest right now, and they can't beat the Queen- she's the size of a mountain, and she's inside a huge volcano. The only reason the dragons have been raiding us is because if they don't feed her, she'll eat them instead." Hiccup shuddered, remembering the zippleback that died the night him, Aran, and Astrid had discovered the beast.

"It's called the Red Death." Aran supplied. "Méaróg told me." Before anyone could ask if he could actually talk with his dragon, he continued. "With charades."

"We need to get out there, and make sure our families come home safe." Astrid said, voice full of authority. Stormfly lowered herself to the ground, and Astrid mounted her with less difficulty than she'd expected.

"My dad is gonna **kill** me." Snotlout whined as he mounted Hookfang. He had more trouble than Astrid had.

"I call Barf."

"What, no, I get Barf!"

"Uhh, no you don't. He's my half of the dragon." Ruffnut argued.

"Both of you, please, just…" Hiccup's plea fell on deaf ears.

"Oi, garbh gets Barf. She made more of a connection with him." Tuffnut made to argue, but his sister shoved him to the ground before climbing onto the half of the dragon she'd claimed.

"Oh man…" Fishlegs had mounted Meatlug when none of them were looking.

"Hiccup, who are you riding with?" Astrid asked, tilting her head. She kind of hoped…

"Aran." Hiccup said just a bit too quickly, and his cheeks flushed almost unnoticeably as he glanced up at him. "I-I mean, he has the most experience, and I don't want to waste any rope, so it's really the safest option… If that's okay with you, I mean. I don't want to like, force-" Aran laughed, cutting him off as his face reddened.

"It's fine." He mounted Méaróg, clicking himself into place. "Get on, we need to leave twenty minutes ago."

"Quickly!" Méaróg shouted to the other dragons.

Hiccup nodded, and Astrid told herself she was imagining the blush on his cheeks. She noted that he hadn't hesitated to wrap his arms around Aran before they launched into the sky, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as the rest of the dragons had shot up after them. There were startled yelps (from herself and the twins) and terrified screams (from Fishlegs and Snotlout) as they immediately held on as tight as they could, adrenaline pumping through their veins. They got the hang of flying soon enough though, and the twins were cackling. All of them had grins on their faces despite the situation they were flying towards, and Astrid couldn't believe she'd been missing out on this her whole life. Aran, Hiccup, and Méaróg flew a decent distance ahead of the group, and Astrid wondered what they were talking about. Unfortunately for her, she wouldn't know, because she isn't reading this story on an electronic device, as those hadn't quite been invented yet.

" _You okay there, mínirach?_ " Aran asked pleasantly.

"Yeah, just nervous…" Hiccup somewhat mumbled into his shoulder. He was sure his blush had died down by then, and he felt guilty for taking advantage of the situation and wrapping his arms around his friend. It really didn't help that Aran's shirt wasn't the thickest, and he could just **feel** how firm his abs were without even trying. He hated it, and the urge to just slip his hands under his friend's shirt disgusted him.

" _Everything is going to be fine._ " Aran reassured, oblivious to Hiccup's struggle. " _If you want, we can fly ahead to try and get to Toothless sooner. I know you'd rather be on him than with Méaróg and I._ "

"That's…" Hiccup wanted to say that it wasn't true, that he loved being on Méaróg with him, and that he hoped they could go on more relaxed flights together in the future, but he knew that was definitely the wrong thing to say. "Yeah… I'm just… really worried about him." And that was true. Toothless was more to him than just his pet dragon. Toothless was his best friend, his other half, his soulmate even, and he could say that such certainty despite not having known him for very long.

" _Hiccup, I swear to you, I will make sure both you and Toothless are alive at the end of the day. You're my closest human friend._ "

"You too, Aran." His voice was somewhat quiet, but he was sure Aran heard him. "And I do want to fly ahead, but I'm worried the others won't know what to do when they arrive without me."

" _You could just give them a general gameplan here and leave Astrid in charge._ " He suggested, and Hiccup decided that simple plan was brilliant.

He did exactly that, before Méaróg's wings beat harder, flying at a much faster pace, though Hiccup knew it wasn't anywhere near what Toothless could do. His stomach churned, and he prayed to the gods that his soulmate was alive. That his father was okay. That his father could maybe accept him after the whole ordeal. Approaching the volcano made his nerves jump to life, and it was with fear that he smelled the overwhelming stench of the Red Death. His grip on Aran tightened slightly, though the older teen mentioned nothing of it. Hiccup forced himself not to worry, and soon they could see the Red Death in all her glory.

" _Hiccup, which boat?_ " Green eyes darted around, having been distracted by the sight of the Red Death. As he searched for the boat Toothless was on, his eyes kept flicking to the Queen, but he knew he had to focus, as the boats were kind of on fire.

"There!" He pointed, and Méaróg dived for the ship. He landed, and the two humans frowned at the shackles. "Aran, this is…" He freed Toothless's jaw at least.

" _Yeah, I don't think I'm strong enough to force it open. And Méaróg can't help much either._ " Hiccup's heart hammered in his chest, worrying for his best friend. " _... We can't do anything as it stands right now. Our best bet is to get back to the others and make sure we can direct the Queen's attention from the boats so the boat doesn't sink._ "

"Aran, I can't just-"

"Hiccup, I'm going to fly you back to the others, drop you off with Astrid, and keep this boat from sinking." His voice was firm as he made Hiccup get on the pink dragon. Hiccup and Toothless made eye contact. "Méaróg is a tidal class dragon, so we're the best choice for this. It looks like Stoick and Gobber are distracting the beast, so that should keep her attention away from the boats long enough." He was saying this as he took to the sky.

"We'll be back!" Méaróg called to Toothless.

"Hurry…" The black dragon whimpered as he watched them fly away. It didn't take too long to reach the other riders.

"Astrid!" Aran called out.

"Aran? Hiccup? What are you doing back? Don't tell me-"

"There's no time, take Hiccup-" Hiccup took the opportunity to jump from Méaróg's back to Stormfly's. "And continue with the plan. I can't get Toothless out of his restraints, so I need to find someone to help but in the meantime I need to keep the boat from sinking because all of them are on fire. Things are bad, the Queen is out, and we're completely unprepared, but…" He trailed off.

"We can change the course of the battle." Hiccup said firmly.

And with that, they separated, urging Méaróg to fly at speeds he'd never achieved before. When he landed on the deck, detaching himself from the saddle, Aran noted that the fire had spread worse, and Méaróg immediately made to douse the flames by splashing seawater on them. Aran crouched beside Toothless, trying to reassure him with his words as he inspected the restraints at every angle. The heat seemed to have deformed them, however, and Aran was positive there was no way he could help with that. The fire licking closer made him nervous, but he wouldn't leave Toothless's side. Panic filled him as he saw the Red Death rear up, ready to unleash a giant breath of fire directly at Stoick, but it was immediately replaced with relief when one of the group's dragons blasted her in the back of the neck. They grouped together after that, likely making a game plan now that the Queen was out in the open, and Hiccup yelled some instructions out before him and Astrid flew towards Aran on Stormfly. He jumped off of Stormfly onto the deck, just as Aran mounted Méaróg and took to the air.

"Go help the others!" Hiccup shouted at both of them, and Astrid flew off with a sharp nod. Aran, however, did not. "What are you-"

"I'm going to get Stoick. You're on a burning boat, and there's no way to get the restraints off without pure force. Neither of us are strong enough. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but… don't die, keep Toothless calm, and just…" Aran frowned. "Stay safe." Hiccup nodded, and Aran flew off as fast as he could.

"It's gonna be okay, bud…"

"Stoick!" Aran shouted as soon as he saw the chief. He touched down on Méaróg right beside him.

"Aran?" He was startled by both his appearance, and the sight of his brother.

"No time to talk, Hiccup is on that boat," He pointed at the boat Toothless was trapped on. "And Toothless's restraints have been warped by the fire. It needs brute strength, and I can't think of a better person for the job."

Stoick gave him a sharp nod and began running towards the boat without another word. Aran and Méaróg took off once more, appointing themselves the job of rescuing vikings from either the water or fallen debris. Many had jumped out of the boats to save themselves from the Red Death's fire, and while most had been able to swim safely to shore, others had been caught up in the current or otherwise inconvenienced, and were still at sea. Aran instructed Méaróg to grab them and bring them to shore regardless of their reactions, and soon, they had rescued all of the drifters. They had been lifting debris off of a rather large woman when the two of them saw the Queen sink the ship Hiccup and Toothless had been on, and the only reason they didn't panic was because Stoick had been there, immediately forcing Hiccup back to shore and diving after Toothless.

A short but profound exchange happened between father and son, and soon, Toothless and Hiccup were shooting into the sky. Snotlout, who had somehow managed to get stuck on the Red Death's back, jumped in between Barf and Belch's necks before managing to get back on Hookfang. Astrid was nearly eaten by the beast before Hiccup swooped in with a shot in the Queen's mouth that was just a bit too close for comfort, but Astrid wound up falling off of Stormfly in the process. Aran was in a conveniently nearby area at the time, and as soon as Hiccup saw that he was on it, he focused his attention on the Red Death as opposed to saving Astrid. Astrid gave Aran a slightly terrified smile when he pulled her onto Méaróg, her chest heaving with adrenaline and fear for her life. He dropped her off by Stormfly, but she didn't mount her, and soon everyone's eyes were trained on Hiccup and Toothless egging the Queen on, luring her out into the sky.

All they could do was watch as the small speck they knew to be Hiccup and Toothless led her high into the dark clouds. Some cheered Hiccup on, but many still looked on in worry. Aran, Astrid, and Stoick were part of the latter group. The flashes of light and loud screeching from the Queen was all they could go off of, and everyone was filled with terror as the sky itself caught on fire from the breath of the Red Death. Even when the three locked in battle came into view, one had to squint to see them. The Queen was chasing them directly down as Hiccup and Toothless tried to stay ahead. She opened her mouth, gas building up to release her fire breath and seal their doom, when Hiccup turned Toothless around at the last moment, shooting a plasma blast directly into her gaping maw.

Hiccup and Toothless were no longer view, and before they could properly prepare, the Red Death was crashing to the ground, luckily too far for anyone to be damaged by the explosion that followed. When the explosion died down and the air filled with ash, Stoick began calling out for his son. Aran instructed Méaróg to try and sniff Toothless and Hiccup out, and he quickly pointed Stoick in the direction Méaróg was getting. All they could see was the black mound they knew to be Toothless, and Stoick breathed out Hiccup's name before running towards him, Aran and Méaróg close behind. Stoick sunk to his knees as he took in Toothless's appearance. He looked defeated, the leather from his saddle burned and empty, the artificial tailfin gone. Aran put a hand on his shoulder, despite not being very close to him.

"I did this." The chief stated quietly. Aran said nothing to him, only glancing behind himself when he heard Astrid gasp, her eyes wide in horror as she broke through the crowd and caught sight of Stoick's body language and Toothless's obvious pain.

"I protect…" Toothless made a small sound.

"Oh, son, I'm so sorry…"

"My young…" He slowly unfurled his wings, revealing Hiccup tucked in against the black reptile's body, seemingly unharmed.

"Hiccup!" Stoick dashed forward, cradling him in his arms, listening for a heartbeat. An elated laugh left him. "Oh, he's alive! You brought him back alive!" Stoick's voice cracked with emotion, and Aran honestly couldn't blame him. The crowd went up in cheers, and Aran found himself hugging Méaróg fiercely.

"Your young…" Toothless whined quietly.

"Thank you. For saving my son."

"Well, you know. Most of him." Gobber added as he leaned over.

"Oh my god, he's missing a foot." Aran blurted before he could help himself, and he immediately covered his mouth. Gobber laughed.

"At least it's not bleeding!"

That was true, at least. Unfortunately, despite the relief of Hiccup being alive, and the triumph of the battle, there was still the complication of getting home. Clearly, the boats weren't an option, and they didn't have enough dragons with them to take everyone back. Aran approached Stoick, who still had Hiccup cradled in his arms, likely never wanting to let him go. He had the vague semblance of a plan forming in his head, and he didn't see anyone else providing any ideas.

"Chief." Stoick looked at him in surprise, as he'd never actually spoken to him with any respect since being kicked out of his house. Aran was, understandably, a little upset about that. "Hiccup got, well, extremely lucky, but we still need to get him home as soon as possible." Stoick nodded in understanding.

"What are you proposing?"

"Méaróg is good at gentle flights and gliding. He's also pretty big, and definitely strong. The two of us could bring both Hiccup **and** Toothless home, while the rest of the dragon riders go out in search for more dragons to earn the trust of and bring to this island for a ride back to Berk. While you're waiting for them to come back with the dragons, you could tend to your wounded." Stoick stroked his beard, clearly thinking the idea over.

"That sounds like a good plan, so long as everyone is willing and able to trust them so quickly, but it shouldn't be a problem considering everything the just happened!" He let out a bark of laughter. "How were you planning on getting the dead and wounded back home?" Aran frowned at that. He wondered how many had died.

"You could probably lay them in old boats that have crashed along the rocks. The dragons could carry them back, and if we're worried about them falling off because they're, well, dead and wounded, we could have someone healthy stay on the boats to make sure they don't."

"You know, Aran, you wouldn't make a bad chief." Stoick got to his feet, passing Hiccup's unconscious body to Aran. He assumed that meant Stoick thought his idea was good.

"No, I just want everyone to be happy. It's hard to see people upset." Aran flicked his eyes down to Hiccup's face, which was something Stoick didn't fail to notice.

"..." He didn't comment on that. "Well, what is a chief if not someone who caters to the needs of the people?" Aran smiled.

"You may have a point, there, Chief." He carefully got on Méaróg's back, clicking himself into the saddle with Hiccup safely in front of him.

"I'll go tell the others the plan. You get him home safe."

If Méaróg was exhausted, he showed no signs of it. He carried two humans on his back and a night fury in his claws without stop to get back to the Isle of Berk as soon as he possibly could while maintaining a smooth flight, and upon touching down, Aran dismounted immediately. He leaned down to leave a gentle kiss on his snout, thanking him profusely for working so hard and promising him all the scratches and fish he could desire. Hiccup was still in his arms, so he hastened to bring him to his bed. He squeezed the boy in his arms gently, as if giving him a hug, before tucking him under the covers. A hand was placed to his cheek before he sighed and backed away. Toothless made a crooning sort of noise as he approached, resting his large, black head on the bed beside Hiccup. Méaróg approached as well, collapsing on the floor in exhaustion, and as Aran nestled into his brother's side, he couldn't help but doze off, hoping Hiccup would wake up soon and everything would be fine.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,777_**

 **So there's that chunk of the movie. I apologize if any of the things are weird? Also please tell me if I made any mistakes, I'm only human :')**

 **Anyways, with the first movie pretty much finished, I can focus on fun social things, shenanigans, and Hiccup's gay crisis**

 **I hope you guys have enjoyed so far, and are looking forward to me writing actual original things!**

 **Don't be afraid to review also? I love talking about stuff so if you have any questions, trust me, I WANT to answer them**

 **See you next time!**


	15. Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

When Aran opened his eyes the morning after the battle with the Red Death, he'd somehow managed to forget everything that happened, and was very confused to be on the floor of Hiccup's room, curled up with Méaróg as if that was a completely normal place to wake up in. After a significant amount of confusion, and wondering why he was the only one awake, the door to Hiccup's room opened, and Aran nearly panicked when Stoick walked in, as there was literally no possible way he could hide his sibling, or Toothless, who he'd just noticed was sleeping beside Hiccup's bed. The chief only smiled, however, and Aran's bleary memory slowly filled in.

"So, how are you feeling?" Aran blinked at him.

"I feel like…" He tried to find some way to describe it and failed. "Something." Stoick laughed, and his eyes flicked to Hiccup.

"And…?" Aran followed his gaze.

"He hasn't woken up, but I'm sure he'll be fine." The Irish teen stood up, legs feeling a little shaky. If he was being honest, he didn't want to move for about another month. Sure, he hadn't been the one to actually fight and kill the Red Death, but he was still exhausted from the ordeal.

"Right." He nodded, and Aran noted that Méaróg was waking up. "Just wanted to check." There was an awkward moment of silence, and Méaróg nudged his head against Aran.

"Well, as I already said, I'm sure he'll be fine." Aran stretched, popping some of his joints and rubbing his neck. Sleeping on the floor isn't exactly the most comfortable thing. "Sorry for falling asleep in here. My house was far and I was exhausted."

"No, it's fine. I want to- to apologize. For how I've treated you." Aran thought back to the disagreements he'd gotten into with the chief. "If you hadn't told me Hiccup was on that boat… Him and that dragon may not have made it out alive to kill the Queen."

"It was the best course of action." He shrugged.

"And don't think I didn't notice you saving all those lives out there." Aran rubbed the back of his neck.

"Really, it was nothing. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt."

"Still." There was an awkward pause.

"How long ago did you get back?" Aran changed the subject.

"Only a few minutes ago. Your plan worked, it just took a while. Everyone is tired." He nodded, feeling satisfied with himself.

"You should get some rest then, Chief. I know there's probably a lot to be done right now, but it can be put off. I'll get Gothi to inspect Hiccup's leg, and Gobber can get to making the prosthetic after he's up and about again." Aran walked towards the door, which Stoick had stepped away from. "Feel free to stay with Hiccup for a while, though. I'm sure you've been worried."

Stoick didn't say anything as Aran left, and Aran found himself staring out onto a very dull sky. The clouds above looked ready to start weeping, and the bite of cold wind made him draw his fur lined coat closer around himself. He let Méaróg stretch his wings out before mounting him, instructing him to fly up to Gothi's. The small old lady seemed to be expecting him, and he quickly told her he was just making sure she knew to check on Hiccup when she could. She nodded at him, and him and Méaróg flew down to the village center. They weren't tired like the rest of the village, due to having actually slept the previous night, and the exhaustion had all but left them, so they weren't sure about the next course of action. Aran sat on Méaróg's back as he wandered around the village, sniffing around and exploring as it was his first time properly being able to do so. The pouch that Aran always had slung under his shoulder, strap under his jacket, begged his attention. He pulled out his tin whistle, and the two brothers spent a significant amount of time just wandering around and playing music.

Hours later, they decided to go on a flight, and Aran turned his attention to sketching the scenery, taking care to draw as many individual pine needles as he could. After sketching for a while, he got bored, returning to Hiccup's house. Toothless whined from inside, and Aran realized that he must be hungry. Méaróg probably was as well, and he decided to let the desert wraith go fishing for all of them as Aran stayed with Toothless. By the time Méaróg returned, Toothless was quite relaxed from having been pet for the entirety of an hour. He shot up from his spot on the ground upon smelling the fish however, and was soon outside. Upon eating his fill, he returned to Hiccup's side, and Aran suspected this would be the routine until Hiccup woke up. The sight of the night fury waiting at his rider's bedside was heartwarming, and Aran decided to draw the two of them. Night fell by the time he'd finished the sketch, and Méaróg looked eager to get home. Aran gave in to his brother's wishes, and he found himself in his empty house, noting that the fire had completely gone out. Such a thing was unimportant, however, as the two of them wound up in Méaróg's sand bed anyways, curled together and half buried in the sand.

Aran sort of regretted that in the morning, however. Sand stuck to the fur in their outfit, and they decided it was time for a bath. Méaróg was responsible for heating the water, as Aran refused to take cold baths, so while the dragon worked on that, they worked on washing the clothes they had been wearing for the past week or so. They took the metal spiral out of their hair as well, frowning at the slightly dry skin that had been right next to the metal. Ignoring that, they also untied the material that bunched their hair into a ponytail, letting the red hair lie loose on their shoulders. By the time they'd cleaned their clothes and gotten the other set out, Méaróg had finished warming the bath, and they stepped into the warm waters with satisfaction. Aran liked bathing. It was a rather pleasant way to pass the time, and they spent around an hour in the water, cleaning themself and relaxing before they got out.

Feeling rather clean, they asked Méaróg to go get fish for Toothless before the two of them made their way over to Hiccup's house. They had been correct in assuming the routine would be for Toothless to bound out of the house, devour the fish, and return to Hiccup's side. After saying a pointless good morning to their unconscious friend, Aran made their way towards the town, noting with a smile that the people of Berk were out and about. When they ran into Gobber, he informed them that Gothi would be checking on Hiccup later that day, and Gobber himself had already begun working on Hiccup's new prosthetic. Aran thanked him for the information before heading out towards the village center. All of the teens were gathered there, their new dragons nowhere to be seen. They supposed that, while the teens were fond of the dragons, they still needed some time to adjust. Aran had no such reservations, with Méaróg following them everywhere. They were just happy their sibling could be seen in public now.

"What are we talking about?" Aran asked as they joined, and Snotlout started at the sight of Méaróg. "No need to be scared of a little pebble, béalsnot." They laughed.

"A pebble?" Astrid questioned. She was actually curious about the Irish language, despite never having been a fan of Aran existing until quite recently.

"Méaróg means pebble." The twins laughed.

"What kinda name is pebble?" Ruffnut snorted.

"Yeah, hi, my name is rock. This is my sister, pebble."

"Why the Hel are **you** the rock?" She punched him in the arm.

"To be fair, I named them when I was four." Aran had clear amusement in their voice, and they didn't bother to stop the fight breaking out amongst the twins.

"Umm, Aran, hate to break it to you, but I don't think **pebbles** breathe **fire!** " Snotlout squeaked when Méaróg puffed in his general direction, and Aran laughed.

"They don't breathe fire. I mean, they kind of do, but not really." Snotlout him a weird look, and Fishlegs seemed intrigued.

"Didn't you say he was a tidal class?" The large boy approached the dragon slowly. Méaróg seemed excited, nudging their head into his large stomach, encouraging him to pet them. He did so after a moment of hesitation.

"Yeah, I think so. They're not really built for speed, more for long flights and gliding. They bury themself in the sand for fun, but I'm sure that's really some instinctual hunting thing. What I meant when I said they don't breathe fire, is that they shoot out hardened balls of sand coated in light flames."

"Really? That's strange. Gronckles eat rocks to make their lava, but that's sounds completely different." Aran nodded.

"I've seen them eating sand before. I think they have some part of them that stores it so they can have it ready for later? It's sort of weird though, and they don't always shoot hard balls. Sometimes it's just a bunch of grains that aren't stuck together." Fishlegs nodded, looking as if he was itching to write this down somewhere. "We can talk more later if you want. I've lived with them almost my whole life, so I know all about their weird quirks." As if to emphasize this point, Aran scratched a spot under their wing that caused them to collapse in contentment.

"You were saying 'they' a lot." Astrid observed. "Does that mean you're talking about his family?" Aran hadn't even realized they'd been doing that.

"Oh, no, I just…" They laughed. "I actually don't even know what Méaróg is. I just call them whatever I'm in the mood for." That earned some confused looks. "It doesn't really matter, honestly. Feel free to keep calling them male, I just don't know what they are. It's not like you can really tell unless they lay eggs, and so far, I don't even know if they have because I don't know anything about dragon mating habits." Méaróg seemed to laugh. "And I don't **want** to, either. The last thing I need is finding out my baby sibling's gone and had babies." They stuck their tongue out at the dragon.

"Stormfly!" Méaróg was suddenly alert, sitting up as their white eyes focused on the sky. The group looked up, and Stormfly was indeed approaching.

"Stormfly!" Astrid's face lit up as her nadder landed beside her, nudging her face into her and squawking happily at the pets she received. "How are you, girl?" Aran smiled at the scene. Astrid and Stormfly seemed to have a close bond already.

"Ahh!" Snotlout screamed, and Aran looked over to see that Hookfang had arrived and picked him up in his mouth.

"Always with the screaming." He sounded amused as he tossed Snotlout up and down in the air. Eventually, Snotlout managed to land on Hookfang's back, causing Hookfang to set himself on fire, and Snotlout was running towards the nearest bit of water.

The other dragons all approached, and seeing all of them interact with their riders made Aran smile. Astrid stated she was going to go on a flight with Stormfly, and Aran had to wonder if any of them were considering getting saddles. They'd learned from experience that riding without a saddle wasn't the most comfortable experience. It wasn't a huge concern yet, though. They would bring it up later. It's not as if they knew anything about saddles after all. A family friend had made Méaróg's. That thought made them pause, as they thought of their hometown. It wouldn't hurt to ask Stoick again, but… They couldn't imagine leaving before Hiccup woke up. They would ask later. Surely it couldn't take too long, right?

But it could take too long. It took weeks for Hiccup to wake up, and at some point, Gobber had fastened his prosthetic on while he was unconscious. The day he'd chosen to wake up was a rather nice one. Rare rays of sunlight shone down upon them and the grass was actually visible for once, without the solid layer of snow and ice to cover it. Aran had been out on a flight when the younger boy had stumbled out of his house, Toothless supporting him, but he discovered him not too much later. It was easy to do, considering the entire village seemed to be shouting out that 'It's Hiccup!' and crowding around his front door. Aran touched down soon after, noticing Hiccup carrying a bright red object he knew was Toothless's new tail. That brought a smile to his face, as Toothless hadn't been able to fly for quite a while. He seemed to be in the process of attaching the tail, Astrid standing nearby when they approached.

"Mínirach!" Aran exclaimed, and Hiccup jumped, turning to face them and nearly falling over in the process. It was with a laugh that Aran caught him, pulling him into a tight hug, and Hiccup let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"A-Aran! Hi. Hello. Yeah, I'm alive."

"Pfft, barely." They shoved him slightly, playfully. "The wind could knock you over. You'd better believe I'm making you eat something before you fly away on Toothless." Hiccup grumbled.

"Aran's right, you know." Astrid gave him an amused look. "I'm honestly surprised you **haven't** fallen over."

"Well, I might have fallen over after taking two steps when I woke up." He admitted.

"Then let's go get something to eat! Méaróg can go get fish for Toothless. He's been doing it for the past three weeks anyways, so I'm sure it's no trouble for him." Hiccup's eyes widened.

"Three weeks…?" The three humans began walking, Méaróg flying off to go get Toothless food and Toothless having conflicting thoughts as to whether or not to follow his fellow dragon friend or his other half. "Toothless, you can go if you want to."

"But young! Awake now!" Toothless had taken to calling Hiccup 'young' despite the fact that they were the same age.

"Aran isn't letting me fly on you yet, so…"

"Toothless!" Méaróg cawed from above. They were nearly out of sight, and Toothless made the split second decision to chase after them. He would get more food this way, right?

Hiccup, Aran, and Astrid made their way to Meade Hall, catching Hiccup up on everything that had happened in the past three weeks. There had been multiple instances of Hiccup slipping and nearly falling, only to be caught by Aran or Astrid. After the fifth time in as many minutes, Aran picked him up bridal style ( much to his embarrassment), insisting that at the pace they were going, they'd be lucky to reach the great hall by nightfall. Hiccup mumbled something in offense, but in his mind he had to admit that he was feeling rather weak, and the small amount of walking he'd done had winded him. Another part of his mind told him that it felt rather nice, being carried in Aran's arms, but he tried to ignore that part, as it was embarrassing and terrible.

Aran forced him to have soup, as Hiccup hadn't eaten solid foods in ages, and they didn't want him to puke. He felt like he was being babied. Aran assured him that he was. Hiccup huffed. Astrid laughed. The next week was filled with the simple task of him getting his strength back, which admittedly wasn't much, and he snuck off to fly on Toothless as soon as he could. His first flight on Toothless in a month had lasted quite literally all day. He'd left his house at dawn and hadn't returned until nightfall. What he hadn't expected was to find Aran sitting on his bed, a very unamused expression on their face when he walked in.

" _You are terrible at communication._ " Aran stated, and Hiccup wracked his brain for anything he forgot to do with them that day.

"Sorry, did I miss something?" He hoped the guilt was kept out of his voice. He must be terrible for forgetting plans with his friend.

" _No, not really._ " Aran shrugged, and Hiccup sighed slightly with relief. " _It's just sort of frightening to come here to drop off Toothless's breakfast and find both of you missing. You should leave a note or something._ "

"Right. I guess that's…" Hiccup frowned, and Aran shook their head.

" _I know, you're probably just not used to it, but you should make an effort, yeah? Your dad was worried until I convinced him you were probably just out with Toothless._ " It was weird to think of his dad being worried, and Hiccup simply nodded, leaning against his doorframe. " _What are you even doing standing over there? You look like you're about to fall over._ "

"I'm not…" He grumbled before attempting to hobble over to the bed. His foot snagged on the uneven wood, however, and he found himself falling to the ground.

" _Hiccup!_ " Aran was kneeling by his side instantly, and Hiccup felt his cheeks heat up, feeling sort of pathetic.

"I'm fine…" He sighed. He'd caught his fall with his hands, and they were a bit sore, but it wasn't too bad of a fall.

" _I swear, I wish you'd just…_ " Aran trailed off, picking Hiccup up despite his protests and putting him in his bed. " _I wish you'd stop being an idiot._ " They smacked his head gently, and Hiccup sent them a mock glare.

"And here I thought I was the smartest viking in the archipelago!" They hummed, pretending to be deep in thought.

" _Nope, sorry Hiccup. That title belongs to Fishlegs._ " Aran sat beside him on the bed after he propped himself up, back against the headboard.

"Damn it. Guess I'll just have to work at taking it from him."

" _I dunno, I'd be pretty satisfied with being the first viking to bond with a dragon._ " They blinked, frowning as if they'd remembered something.

"What is it?" Aran looked at him, as if they were surprised he'd noticed anything.

" _Nothing._ " They took their sketchbook out. " _I started drawing this when you were passed out. Didn't finish colouring it until today._ "

Hiccup noticed some coloured ink on their freckled fingers. They were temporarily stained with green, a dark almost-black, and various shades of brown. Upon taking the sketchbook from them, he realized it was an image of him, asleep in his bed with Toothless watching over him. It was a pleasant sight, and the paints Aran had pulled off weren't something he was used to. They managed to add the semblance of texture, and shading that was something unusual to see in art around the archipelago. He attributed it to the fact that they were, in fact, not a viking. This was something he was reminded of every time they spoke. Sure, their accent had become more understandable over the two and a half years they'd been on the island, but it was still prevalent, even if everyone could understand them. Hiccup wondered how many hours they spent on this drawing. When he looked at it, he could almost feel the rough wood that made up his walls, the scales on Toothless's body, his own soft hair.

"Wow, it's…" He searched for a word. "Well, it's better than I could do, though that's not saying much…" Pause. "It's really good."

"Hiccup, you're a great artist, stop putting yourself down." They nudged his shoulder as he began to flip through the sketchbook, not even noticing that they'd switched from Irish to Norse.

"I don't know, your stuff is just so…" Beautiful. "Detailed, and…" He frowned, stopping on a very nice portrait of Ruffnut. Disgusting feelings churned inside him.

"The only reason yours isn't is because you focus on more practical things, like designs for Toothless's tail." Aran smiled at him. "If you practiced, you'd be as good as me in no time." They seemed very confident, but then, weren't they always?

"If you say so…"

He sort of wanted to be able to draw like them, but he felt he'd never reach their level of skill. He continued flipping through the pages, looking at breathtaking views of Hooligan village from the sky, the sunset bathing the forest in a warm light, Méaróg hiding in the sand of the beach, him and Toothless bonding in the cove beneath a pink and blue sky. Now he was sure he'd never reach their level. He'd seen many of these images when they were still sketches, but he didn't think he'd ever seen them completed until now. Maybe that's what Aran spent all their time on when he was unconscious for three weeks.

"Oh, I know so. I'd even be your model, if you want to practice drawing people." Hiccup fought the blush on his cheeks, not wanting to accept how much he wanted that.

"Nah, I think I'll just stick to drawing Toothless." Aran shrugged.

They pulled out their tin whistle, taking a breath and playing one note before changing their mind and pausing before choosing a different song. Hiccup briefly wondered if they'd been about to play For the Dancing and the Dreaming, as the note they'd started with was the same one that song started on. As he'd grown up, he'd noticed the song being sung less and less, and part of him wondered if it was because the villagers knew that as his mother and father's song. He tried to shake those thoughts away as he continued to look through the sketchbook in reverse chronological order, pausing on each drawing, taking in every detail. Aran really was a wonderful artist, and he wondered if they would ever bother to draw him.

A blush fought its way onto his cheeks, and he convinced himself to never think of that again. These weren't the kinds of thoughts he should be having, but even still, sometimes he couldn't help but let his eyes drift over to them, drinking in the sight of them doing whatever simple, meaningless task they were doing and just looking so perfect. No scars marred their face, or any part of them save for their chest, as far as Hiccup knew. One couldn't find a bit of skin that wasn't covered in freckles, and the sheer number of them made it easy to forget how pale their skin was sometimes. The brown dots seemed to concentrate slightly more on their cheeks, forehead, and chin, though it was really quite hard to notice unless you looked for it. Hiccup decided that was a detail he shouldn't have even noticed, and he hated himself for it. Suddenly, warm brown eyes made contact with his own forest green ones, and he bit his lip slightly. They quirked one of their thick red brows.

"I-I, I didn't mean to stare I was just, uhh, thinking about how you're always playing music, or something." He stammered, embarrassed that he'd been caught staring. He didn't appreciate this attraction of his in the slightest. It was unnatural and inconvenient. "And I've never seen that instrument anywhere but with you." Aran shrugged.

"It's an Irish thing. Makes me feel close to my culture, even though I'm so far from home." Their voice was wistful. "Most of them aren't actually made of metal. I just wanted mine to be because I really wanted it to be shiny." They laughed, which Hiccup thought was cute, and he proceeded to mentally reprimand himself. He joined in their laughter. "I was only six at the time, so can you really blame me?"

"That's cute." He said before he could stop himself, and quickly continued talking, hoping Aran wouldn't notice the blush on his face. "I'm just imagining this weird little freckled kid shouting about how he wants his whistle to be shiny." Aran snickered.

"Yeah, it probably was pretty cute." They put their mouth on the wooden mouthpiece, playing a few notes. "Have you ever thought about learning an instrument." Hiccup shrugged.

"Not really. I figured it'd make people think I'm even more pathetic, spending my time on some flute instead of working out." Aran nudged his shoulder.

"Well that's dumb." Not wanting to get another one of Aran's 'you're not useless' lectures, he pointed at the drawing he'd stopped on.

"Who's this?" It was one of the first drawings in the sketchbook, and Hiccup could tell it was rather old. The image was that of a woman, brown hair pulled back into braids with small, colourful flowers weaved in. She had amusement in her green eyes.

"Hmm? Oh, that's the woman who taught me the song I'm not allowed to sing." They smiled. "I couldn't understand a word she said to me. Haven't seen her since then. I wonder if she's alright?" It obviously wasn't a question that expected an answer.

"She looks… kind. I wish I could meet her." Hiccup rubbed his eye.

"Maybe you can meet her in dreamland, because you're clearly about to pass out." Aran took their sketchbook back from him, and he almost whined. Almost. He still had **some** pride left. "Don't give me that **look**."

"I'm not giving you a **look**." Hiccup said, as he gave them a **look**.

"Sure you aren't." They chuckled, getting up from Hiccup's bed.

"Fine, fine." He grumbled, taking his vest off and tossing it somewhere before lying down. Aran pulled the blanket up to his neck, and Hiccup wondered why. He could have done that himself, after all.

"You know…" They paused. "I've been thinking of going back home for a bit."

"Home?" Hiccup blinked. "Like, back to Ireland."

"Yeah. I've been wanting to go back ever since I came here, but…" Aran thought for a moment, as if gathering up every reason they hadn't just left already. "Your father didn't trust me enough to send me off with a boat, and I could have just gone with Méaróg, but then I'd be going behind his back and I didn't want to leave you all alone. If I had gone behind his back and it turned out that there were no survivors, well, he wouldn't be too happy to see me again, so…" Hiccup just nodded, a frown on his face. He didn't want Aran to leave. Sure, the village had sent him many apologies, and had begun treating him better, but that didn't change the fact that Aran had been his only friend for two years.

"How long will you be gone?" They hummed.

"I was thinking probably three weeks or so. I'm not going to bother with a boat, but your dad will know I'm leaving at least. Méaróg and I can make the flight without too much trouble, and if my parents are alive, I'll definitely be spending time with them. If they're not, I'll see if anyone else is there. If everyone is really gone, I…" They frowned, not even wanting to consider the possibility. "I'll probably want to be alone for a while. I'll fly around, explore a bit, I don't know."

"Okay…" Hiccup frowned.

"I won't be leaving for another week or two though, so no need to think about it until then, right?" Aran smiled, and Hiccup returned it. "Anyways, you should go to sleep, _dragon boy_." Hiccup huffed a little, in amusement.

"Right. Goodnight Aran."

The Irish teen ruffled his hair before walking out of the room, thoughts of home on their mind. They really hoped their parents were alive. If they were, they would stay with them for a while, help out around town, get caught up, tell stories, before returning to the Isle of Berk. Perhaps they would alternate spending time in each place? A month in one place, the next in the other? Or perhaps they would spend spring and summer in Hooligan village, autumn and winter in Ireland? Shaking their head as they mounted Méaróg, they supposed they would just cross that bridge when they got there. For now, they would focus more on making sure Hiccup could walk on his own before their left. They'd gotten into the habit of literally just carrying him wherever he needed to go if he fell. It was mostly because they didn't like having to walk at his slow pace, but it was also partially because they knew he hated it and they wanted to mess with him. Something about his annoyed grumbling and Toothless's laughter was very amusing to them.

Landing by their house, they dismounted Méaróg, moving to stand by the cliff. The night sky was clear, and the twinkling stars reminded them of the nights they would spend at home, stargazing with their family, and with some of the girls in town. For some reason, the boys had never been as eager to do so with them, though they definitely would have stargazed with them if they wanted to. Cold air nipped at their skin, causing their cheeks, nose, and ears to turn the usual pink colour they always turned when they stayed outside for too long any night on the Isle of Berk. It was strange, knowing they could simply get back on Méaróg and fly back to where they were born, but they couldn't just leave the friends they'd made in the past two years behind. A sigh escaped them, and they smiled when Méaróg nudged them with their snout.

" _Do you ever get homesick?_ " They asked the dragon.

"All the time. Sometimes I almost go back there without you, but that's scary."

" _What will we do if mum and dad are still around?_ "

"Well, I guess I'd have to choose whether or not she's still my Queen." Aran laughed.

" _I wish I could know what you're saying sometimes, you know._ " They sat down, leaning back against Méaróg's front. Large, pale pink, striped wings made a sort of cocoon around them as they took their sketchbook out, drawing out the ocean and sky before them, moon hanging not quite full in the sky.

"I love you." Méaróg crooned to their older sibling.

" _I love you too._ "

Sure, they couldn't really understand the dragon, but sometimes it damn near felt like they could.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,082**_

 **I'm not sure if this is the longest chapter or not but it almost reached 11 pages lmao. Anyways! This was kinda hard to write, but that's fine. It'll get easier when I get through some stuff, haha.**

 **Also, please tell me if I've made any mistakes :')**

 **Somehow Hiccup doesn't comment on the fact that the drawing of that lady looks like someone who could be his momther (it's Valka)**

 **I always like, have a thing I need to say in an A/N that I've been meaning to say but I completely forget it and I'm? The only thing I can think of right now is a disclaimer that any Irish I use (like minirach) is found through google translate (except arach being dragon in old gaelic is like a thing I found by clicking on a bunch of different websites bc Irish for dragon according to google translate is just** **dragun or something) so it's not guaranteed to be accurate like at all**

 **Oh also, now that the first movie is finished, I might not update as regularly. I'm like super behind in school and they're gonna kick me out of the school I'm going if I don't pass. I really don't wanna transfer for my senior year of high school sO I SHOULD PROBABLY LIKE. WORK ON THAT.**

 **Anyways. I might still update like multiple times a week like I have been. Who knows? I'll try to actually do school tho and prevent this fic from consuming my life because as much as I'd love to do that it's not healthy :^)**

 **See ya next time!**


	16. The Beach Episode

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Hiccup generally wasn't one for beaches. The other teens his age in Hooligan Village had never been particularly kind to him in the past, and beaches were generally places to go with one's friends. It also didn't help that Hiccup was practically the definition of scrawny, and barely knew how to swim. That was before he passed out for three weeks and woke up with a prosthetic foot, so he could only assume his swimming had gotten even worse. The waters around the Isle of Berk tended to be frigid and unwelcoming. Clouds often covered the sun, sometimes letting snow, sleet, rain, or hail shower down on them. Those factors, paired with how uncomfortable he was with the very idea of being shirtless in front of anyone, were more than enough to keep him away from the beach.

So it was understandable that he was very confused when woke up staring at the grey clouds, as opposed to his wooden ceiling, sand covering his body. Despite the clouds, something about the sky seemed strangely bright, as if the sun was looking through one of the lighter clouds. Sitting up took some effort, as he was practically buried up to his neck, and when he looked around he could definitely confirm that he was on a beach. This did nothing to fight his confusion, and he squinted out at the water, vision blurry as he adjusted to being awake. Sounds of laughter, splashing, and otherwise generally very beachy noises drifted towards him. He recognized all the teens of Hooligan Village enjoying the waters as he attempted to brush sand off of him. It seemed someone had put his vest on before hauling him off to the beach, which he appreciated the warmth of, but regretted, as it was now covered in sand that would take ages to get out. He sat there for a while, eyebrows furrowed in confusion before he focused on the people in the water.

The first person he noticed was Snotlout, which was somewhat surprising because his cousin wasn't really doing anything but flexing in Astrid's general direction. Astrid was ignoring him completely, just floating there with no effort. Fishlegs seemed to be talking to her, and she listened with an open ear, speaking short replies every now and then to show she was still listening to whatever he was talking about. Probably dragons. Fishlegs had focused on improving his knowledge on dragons as much as possible after the fiasco with the Red Death. The twins were nowhere to be seen at first, but Tuffnut popped out of the water, heaving a huge gasp of breath, his sister following soon after. As they caught their breath, Ruffnut cheered in triumph, having won their contest of who could hold their breath the longest. The two of them quickly started a miniature war, slapping, punching, and biting each other to assert dominance. It was an even match, Hiccup concluded, and they would probably go on until the got bored.

Aran's laugh reached Hiccup's ears, and that was when he saw the red headed teen. They had their hair down, water making it appear darker than usual, and Hiccup noted that they didn't have the metal hair accessory that had become a staple in their appearance. Full lips were stretched into a grin as they laughed, and Hiccup tried not to focus on the fact that they were shirtless. He failed, of course, and though he told himself that it was completely understandable and normal for them to take their clothes off to swim, it still made his heart hammer a little. It was the first time he'd really seen them shirtless since that one time two and half years ago, when the two of them had barely known each other. His memories didn't do the older teen's shirtless form justice. They were just the slightest bit curvier than he'd remembered, and they had a strange sort of firm yet soft look to them. It was clear that they got regular exercise in, if the defined abs and strong looking arms meant anything. The burn scar on their chest had healed to be much nicer than the gruesome mess Hiccup remembered, and he had to be glad for that. Freckles littered every bit of skin that wasn't marred by the burn, and Hiccup licked his lips, wanting to taste the water droplets that clung to their body.

His face flushed deeply, and he averted his gaze, trying to focus on Astrid instead. He shouldn't be having these thoughts. Not about someone like Aran, at least. Aran wasn't a girl, and he hated that despite the fact that he was staring directly at Astrid's scantily clad form, his thoughts kept flashing back to how good Aran looked in the water. He remembered a past exchange, before he'd lost his leg, before he'd even met Toothless, when Aran said it was a shame Hiccup never went swimming with them. They'd made it sound like they went swimming quite frequently, and Hiccup had avoided the subject, not wanting to admit that the main reason he refused to join them was because he hated his own body. Astrid made eye contact with him, and he somehow went even more red. He averted his gaze. Sure, it was more understandable for him to be staring at her as opposed to Aran, but it was still definitely embarrassing to be caught. He hadn't even been thinking about her.

"Hiccup!" Aran seemed to have noticed that he was awake, and they left the water, droplets clinging to them and making Hiccup thankful that he was buried in the sand. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to force his blush down, but it was being quite stubborn. " _Shit_ , did you get sick when I wasn't looking?" They crouched down, placing a cold, damp hand on his cheek. It didn't help at all, and he tried not to focus on the sea of freckles before him. Kind of hard to do when the person you're talking to is practically made of freckles and you're trying hard to avoid looking them in the eye for fear of them reading the true cause of your dilemma.

"N-no, I'm just, uhh…" He looked out to the water. "I wasn't expecting to umm…" Hiccup paused. Astrid. Astrid is always a good excuse. "Astrid is kind of…" Aran followed his gaze, and the two of them caught sight of the blonde girl stretching, looking at the twins in annoyance.

"Hmm, yeah. She's pretty cute, and I recently learned that I have a thing for battle scars." Aran laughed, and Hiccup found himself fidgeting. The unpleasant feeling whenever Aran talked about girls was expected but still unwelcome. "Her and Fishlegs actually get pretty well, did you know that?"

"Umm, yeah…" Hiccup looked down at himself. His legs were still buried in the sand. "Mind telling me what I'm doing here?" Aran blinked, then laughed a little.

"I forgot that I didn't tell you." They glanced away, looking a little embarrassed. It was a rare sight to see, and Hiccup found the small smile paired with the lightest blush endearing. "Ruff invited me to come swim with everyone else, and I agreed to come, but then the Chief told me to look after you today." Hiccup managed to fix an unimpressed frown on his face.

"So, you decided burying me in the sand was the way to go?" He tried to sound annoyed, but he was pretty sure the amusement in his voice was too clear.

"I actually have no idea why you're buried in the sand."

"It wasn't me!" Came a cry from Méaróg that sounded so guilty it was very clear who the culprit was.

" _Correction: I'm sorry my idiot younger sibling buried you in the sand._ " Aran sounded amused, and Hiccup groaned.

"It's going to take forever to get the sand out of my clothes…" He grumbled, feeling an itch he decided to ignore as he began unburying himself. "Why is my dad even telling you to look out for me? I'm not some little kid…"

"Well, you sure walk like one." Aran teased, pushing him slightly, and Hiccup huffed.

"Sure, just make fun of the guy with one leg." They waved him off.

"You need any help there?" Hiccup shook his head. He had already near completely unburied himself.

"Shouldn't you be off with the others?" He questioned. Aran's skin was beginning to dry, and he had to wonder if they were cold.

"Nah, I told them I felt bad for leaving you on the beach all alone when you can't swim. Besides, we've been out here for over an hour, I've had my fill for now. Swimming is exhausting when you're with people." They pulled their pouch closer to them, and it was at that moment that Hiccup realized there was a pile of discarded clothes nearby. Aran didn't move to get dressed, and Hiccup selfishly said nothing.

"Oh… Well, thanks…" He mumbled.

"Sorry, Hiccup!" Méaróg cawed, plopping a fish into his lap from the sky. It was still alive, and Hiccup yelped, as the slimy, wriggling thing had come with freezing cold ocean water that soaked through his pants.. "Please accept this pretty food as apologies for burying you!" The desert wraith landed next to him, nudging their snout against his face, and Aran was trying not to laugh.

"Oh my god." They failed.

"Wow, uh, thank… you?" The fish flailed around, making Hiccup more than a little uncomfortable.

"You're welcome!" Méaróg made a cheery sound.

" _Méaróg, I don't think Hiccup is very hungry right now. I'm sure he appreciates the gift, but something non-living may do him better._ " Aran stated, and Hiccup nodded, not wanting to touch the fish.

"Damn."

The pink dragon snapped the fish up in their mouth, and Hiccup visibly tensed, as the teeth had come too close to his crotch for comfort. Aran continued to snicker at his discomfort, and Hiccup glared at them, cheeks heating up. The two had a silly argument about different kinds of fish when the sun broke through the clouds. A gasp escaped the Irish teen as they leapt to their feet, shouting a quick apology before running off into the water. They spoke animatedly to the rest of the group, engaging in some sort of three-way war (Aran and Snotlout vs. Astrid and Fishlegs vs. Ruffnut and Tuffnut) before Méaróg joined, nearly blasting Tuffnut with a ball of flame coated sand which came a bit close to Snotlout's face, causing him to scream. Aran laughed, the group beginning to tease him before they excused themself again. When they sat back down, Hiccup raised a brow, trying not to focus too much on the way the sun glinted on the water droplets slowly trickling down and off of their skin. He wanted to lick them, and he hated it, but blessed his impulse control.

"Sorry, the sun is a rare sight to see." Was their explanation. Hiccup shrugged and accepted it. "Where did these shells come from?" Aran asked, picking up a rather beautiful seashell.

"I don't know." There was a small pile he hadn't even noticed.

"Must have been Méaróg." Hiccup agreed. Aran then looked at him and gasped, eyes widening as they held up the shell. "Don't move."

"Wait, why?"

Aran shushed him, and the only reason he wasn't concerned was because they had a smile on their face. They were soon busy placing smallish seashells in his hair, along what he could only assume was seaweed. Water trickled down into his hair, but he tried not to dwell on it, just as he tried not to dwell on Aran's strong looking arms and how easily they could carry him away. After they pulled away, he lifted his left hand towards his head, but it was immediately placed back down, and he raised a brow. Aran shook their head, telling him not to move once more before pulling their pouch closer to themself once more. First, they pulled out their usual hair tie, but instead of leaving their bangs hanging like usual, they pulled every strand of hair into a ponytail. Their heavily freckled forehead was exposed, and their next course of action was to grab a shirt (Hiccup recognized it as their undershirt) and dry the water from their hair, face, and arms the best they could. Hiccup wasn't sure if he was thankful or disappointed.

It was quickly apparent to him that they were getting ready to draw, a fact made abundantly clear when they pulled out their sketchbook and drawing utensil. He wanted to ask what they were drawing, but judging by the way their eyes flicked between his face and the sketchbook, he was currently modeling. That was a strange thought, and he struggled to keep the blush off his face. He failed. The thought that Aran was drawing him of all people was weirdly flattering, but he didn't feel he deserved to be the subject of their art. He wasn't exactly the most attractive person around, and he knew Aran would agree (they often reminded him that Ruffnut was, and it was quite frustrating) even if they refused to actually say it. They ran their tongue along their teeth while keeping their mouth closed, and Hiccup recognized it as a sign of concentration. Sounds of frustration and satisfaction escaped them as they drew, and Hiccup would be lying if he said he wasn't dying to see the finished product. It took them quite a while to finish what he knew was only a rough sketch, but Hiccup knew that was all they needed of him. They had a talent for being able to finish a drawing without the same model.

"Dare I ask what sparked your inspiration?" He questioned when he saw the signs that they were finished.

"You have sand on you. I couldn't really see it at first because you shook most of it out of your hair, but some of it stuck and the sun made you look like you were sparkling." Aran smiled pleasantly. "It's on your face too, mostly your cheeks and nose. That with the fish and the seashells made me want to draw, well, **this**." Aran held the sketchbook to face him, but didn't let go, clearly not wanting to relinquish possession of it, so Hiccup just looked.

It was obviously supposed to be him, but he had a hard time believing it. The figure in the sketch somehow managed to have all his scrawniness yet look attractive. It captured his awkward facial expression, and somehow Hiccup knew Aran wouldn't forget to add his blush later (an embarrassing prospect). The sand in the sketch didn't sparkle, but he was sure Aran would fix that later. Seashells and seaweed were in his hair, looking like a royal circlet of sorts. His torso was completely bare save for some seaweed and shells that seemed to form a sort of necklace, despite him obviously not having been wearing such a thing when Aran was using him as a model, but what was really surprising was the fact that somewhere around his waist, he faded from looking, well, mostly human, to having a scaly tail reminiscent of the fish Méaróg had unceremoniously dumped in his lap. The tail itself was rather frilly looking, and Hiccup thought it was somewhat girly, but it suited the royal look Aran seemed to be going for. A belt of seaweed and seashells adorned his hips, matching bracelets on his arms, and Hiccup noted that instead of drawing human ears, Aran had improvised with frilly fins to match his tail. Various parts of him had scales scattered about, though they were hard to notice, and gills were located solidly on his neck. The last thing he noticed after seeing that he was sitting on a beach not unlike the one he was on now, drawing in the sand with a stick in his long nailed fingers, was that the left side of his tail was mangled at the end. Aran clearly hadn't worked out how to include a fish tail prosthetic, and decided the best way to portray his missing limb had been to royally fuck up his tail.

"... Wow." Hiccup breathed out finally. "I'm a mermaid." He frowned. He didn't want to be a mermaid.

"Merman." Aran corrected, and Hiccup supposed that was better. "What do you think?" The question was posed casually, but Hiccup knew that Aran was a bit nervous about what he would say.

"Are you sure this guy is me? He seems a bit too attractive. Not scrawny enough." Aran laughed.

"Oh, shut up, that's what you look like. Well, I had to improvise on the chest and arms, but I'm assuming that's what you look like under that." They gestured to his clothes. Hiccup nodded slightly.

"Hey, what's with the weeds in your hair, Hiccup?" Tuffnut's voice startled Hiccup, and he jerked his head to see that the group was leaving the water. A few shells fell out of his hair, and he blushed slightly. Was he supposed to say he was modeling?

"Ha! And we thought you couldn't get any girlier!" Snotlout jeered.

"Hey, wait, I put those there." Aran butted in, glaring at them as water droplets nearly touched their sketchbook. "I was drawing him."

"Drawing?" Luckily, it was Fishlegs who spoke. Hiccup was fond of Fishlegs. He'd been the one he got along with the best, after everything that happened. "What was it?"

"The sun started shining and I had to draw mermen." Aran smiled, standing and brushing the sand off of their legs. Hiccup tried not to stare, especially now that the group was gathered. It felt weird to be the only one fully clothed, as well as the only one sitting. He quickly rectified the second problem, but there was really nothing he could about the first.

"Mermen?" Ruffnut looked thoughtful, as if trying to decide how attractive that was. Aran nodded.

"Yeah, you can look at it as long as you don't get any water on it or touch it." Hiccup felt embarrassed, not really wanting the others to see the drawing but feeling as if it wasn't his place to prevent Aran from showing off their art.

"I bet I'd be a cooler merman. With like, a shark tail." Tuffnut bared his teeth. "Tearing people up with my teeth."

"Uhh, no way, I'd be the better shark." Snotlout countered.

"Sorry comhlán, you're probably like, an octopus or one of those weird transparent ones Méaróg likes to bring me. You can see their guts and skeletons."

"That. Is. Awesome." Ruff and Tuff shared a look of wonder, speaking at the same time. Aran laughed.

"So I can be the shark, right?" Aran looked at him.

"I guess that's weirdly fitting. I almost wanna say Astrid would be a better shark, though." Astrid frowned, looking as if she was refraining from saying something. She hadn't been participating in the discussion before, and had likely barely gotten a glimpse of Mercup.

"We can both be sharks, right babe?" She then had a look of disgust.

"Wait, Méaróg brought me this weird ass thing called a lionfish once." Aran flipped through their sketchbook, everyone having gotten a good look at Hiccup the merman. "I think I drew it… Yes! Here it is." They showed off a coloured drawing of the odd fish, with stripes and long spines, along with a dotted tail. "I think it was poisonous."

"I like it." Astrid nodded in appreciation.

"What about Fishlegs?" Hiccup asked, joining the conversation for the first time.

"Fishlegs is a pufferfish." They replied without hesitation. "You're making me wanna draw this stuff!" Aran laughed, scribbling something on the margins of a page with scribbly doodles on it. Sure, they liked to keep their sketchbook filled with good artwork, but sometimes the hand refuses to cooperate and they wind up with hilariously disproportionate attempts to draw odd things, like birds with wings made of leaves.

"I'd be a killer model." Ruffnut posed, one hand on her hip, the other behind her head as she stuck her tongue out. Aran nearly snorted.

" _Oh my god,_ I have to draw that. Ruffnut, don't move." They flipped to a blank page and immediately started sketching. "So, the transparent one, right?"

"Uh, duh?"

"Okay, give me a bit…" They ran their tongue along their teeth, and Hiccup noticed that they spent less time on Ruffnut's drawing than on his own. He liked to think that meant something, but it was possible that this was due to the fact that Ruff was actually shirtless and they'd had practice with the whole 'mermaid' anatomy by that point. "Done!"

Ruffnut's mermaid form held the same pose she did, but Aran had taken the liberty of making her tongue forked, as well as longer. They'd made the effort to make her fin ears seem transparents, lightly sketching the details of her head behind it. The helmet Ruffnut normally wore was missing, understandably, and there was what looked like seaweed tangled into her long braids. Her tail was a bit sketchier than the rest of the drawing, though that was likely because Aran's memory on what transparent fish tails look like was a little fuzzy. A shawl that looked centuries old and was likely stolen draped around her shoulders and covered her breasts, and she had an assortment of weird jewelry. Unlike Aran's drawing of Hiccup, Ruffnut's mermaid form was definitely underwater. Aran somewhat regretted not drawing her attempting to lead sailors to their watery graves, but the playful pose still suited her just fine.

"Do me next." Snotlout shoved Ruffnut out of the way and decided to flex for his pose. Tuffnut glared at him.

"Hey, nobody shoves my sister except me!" He exclaimed before proceeding to shove his sister.

Aran laughed, quickly getting to work after skipping a page so Ruffnut and Tuffnut's mermaid portraits could be next to each other. Snotlout was a lot of fun to draw, surprisingly. They made the liberty of adding tattoos, knowing he would probably appreciate those. Fulfilling their promise to draw him as a shark unfortunately made it impossible to give him fin ears, so they opted to make them pointed to make up for it. Another thing they couldn't apply to him that they'd done for Hiccup and Ruffnut was the random patch of scales here and there. While they supposed the tattoos somewhat made up for it, they were frustrated by the lack of ability to add that part. The clothing choice done for him were torn fishing nets loosely hung on his tail, and a necklace of long fangs. A part of them had been tempted to add a hammer, but they knew that would have been impractical in the water, so they didn't bother. His grin revealed a row of sharp shark teeth, and it was a detail Aran enjoyed focusing on. Showing the drawing off gained them a significant amount of praise, and pride welled up within them.

They motioned for Tuffnut to be drawn next, flipping back to the page they'd skipped. His drawing went by rather quickly, though Aran was impressed by how long he held his ridiculous facial expression. They'd drawn him precariously swinging a mace around, because they were sure Tuffnut was the kind of person to have a useless weapon underwater. He received the same transparent tail his sister had, as well as old torn up cloth for garments, and it was quickly Fishlegs's turn. The round boy fit very well with the pufferfish tail, and Aran easily decided to give him a pearl necklace and not much else in terms of clothing. He sat on a beach, half in the water as he read a damp book. It was a simple drawing, yet it seemed to capture the kind boy's personality wonderfully. This was a case where his surroundings spoke louder than words, and Aran took care to add a few bottles scattered on the beach, old yellow rolls of parchment inside them.

At that point, the only person left to draw was Astrid, but it seemed she'd drifted away from the others, sitting on a nearby rock. She still hadn't gotten dressed, as she had busied herself with sharpening her favorite axe. Aran smiled, as that was the perfect pose for her. They got to work before she could notice, and due to the angle they had the opportunity to draw extra lionfish spines protruding from her back. Her face was still visible in the drawing, as it was turned to the side, and they delighted in drawing her ear fins. The tail was difficult, but they had a reference drawing to work with, so it turned out alright in the end. Unlike with the others, they went for a more practical approach, save for her hair. While they lavished her hair with beautiful shells and strings of pearls, vital parts of her body were protected with armor made from discarded dragon scales. Spines fashioned after the ones Stormfly shot from her tail were incorporated into the drawing in the form of a belt that held them like daggers. Snotlout let out a low whistle when they were finished drawing.

"And here I was thinking Astrid couldn't get any hotter." Aran laughed.

"She **does** make a good mermaid, huh?" They flipped through the sketchbook. "Sorry, béalsnot. Hiccup and Astrid wound up having the most attractive drawings." Hiccup barely succeeded in holding back a blush.

"Hiccup? Attractive? Puh-leaze." He scoffed. Astrid wandered over.

"Let me see." Aran showed her the sketchbook, as her hands were dry. She flipped through the pages, going back and forth between all of them. "Hiccup's is definitely the most detailed."

"I did him first. Wasn't planning on drawing any of you guys, really." They explained, and Hiccup wasn't sure whether to feel special or not. Astrid nodded.

"Fishlegs has the best background, though. Mine looks really natural, because you kind of just caught me in the pose you wanted instead of having me actually pose for you. The twins have the silliest ones, but I'm guessing their tails will be the most detailed because you need to fix up the anatomy there. It looks like you focused on Snotlout's mouth and tattoos the most, so he's got us all beat in that department." She critiqued, taking Aran by surprise. "I can agree that overall, Hiccup and I's portraits are the best though." The blonde girl dropped the sketchbook back into Aran's hands before walking to her pile of clothes and beginning to get dressed.

"Wow. Umm, thanks for the critique?" She shrugged, finished dressing herself and now brushing sand off of her clothes. "It was nice drawing you." Aran smiled at her, and she smiled back, a small blush tinting her cheeks.

"I guess it was nice being drawn." She responded absently before walking off.

"So I've always said she's cute but a _bitch_ , right?" Hiccup nodded. "Now I'm thinking she might just be cute. But I still wanna call her a _bitch_ because I always have." Ah, and here returns the terrible feeling of jealousy. He'd been wondering where that had gone.

"Hey, Astrid's still mine." Snotlout protested. "I called dibs."

"You can't call dibs on a **girl**!" Ruffnut smacked him in the back of his head rather forcefully and he barely kept his balance.

"I kind of agree with Ruff here, that's a dick move." Aran stated absently, picking up the dark undershirt they'd used to dry themself earlier. They seemed to suddenly realize that their hair was still pulled up into a ponytail, and they quickly undid it, ruffling their hair and running their fingers through it until it hung loosely on their shoulders, their bangs falling back into place. The next course of action was to wrap their hair accessory around that lock of hair it was always wrapped around.

"Man, I don't think she's interested in any of us anyways." Tuffnut stated as all of the teens seemed to be absentmindedly gathering their clothes and getting dressed. Aran put their pants, socks, and boots on, but remained shirtless as they wrung out their undershirt. "I bet she's one of those girls who ends up marrying her axe."

"Well, who knows? She seems interested in Hiccup, at least." Hiccup whipped his head around to face Aran. Why would they say that? That was not a thing he needed to be said around Snotlout. "And I bet I could date her if I wanted to."

"Hold on-" Snotlout started before Aran cut him off.

"Oh, _shit_ , I need to talk to the Chief still." They slipped the slightly damp undershirt on before donning their shirt and jacket.

"And I…" Hiccup looked at Snotlout before turning to face Aran instead. Oh, beautiful Aran, why couldn't you be a girl? "Will go with you. Because… I need to ask my dad something." Hey dad, how do I keep Snotlout from hating me because Astrid might possibly have a thing for me even though I'm kind of into the guy you kicked out of our house for seeming to like guys too much?

The two of them and Méaróg left the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs behind as they searched out Stoick the Vast. Hiccup fell nearly six times just trying to get off of the beach (his prosthetic kept sinking into the sand), and Aran decided the proper course of action was to carry him bridal style. While Hiccup (regrettably) didn't dislike the position, it was rather embarrassing, and he protested that he could walk on his own. Aran insisted that he couldn't, and Hiccup groaned. How in Hel's name was he supposed to learn how to walk properly if Aran wouldn't let him? The redhead only seemed amused by his suffering, so he made it a point to be especially dramatic about everything. His antics succeeded in pulling, laughter from the older teen, and Hiccup felt oddly warm inside. As soon as Aran spotted his dad, they put him down on his own two feet, making their way towards him.

"Chief!" It was interesting to note that, while they had been calling the man by his first name for the majority of their stay, it wasn't until fighting the Red Death that they called him his properly respectful title.

"Aran. Hiccup." He seemed to be busy going somewhere, and the two teens followed him. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to ask you about my trip to my homeland?" Stoick paused, nodding for them to continue. "My proposal is to fly on Méaróg, so you wouldn't have to worry about supplying me with food or a boat. We plan on staying for around a month or so, even if it turns out that my house is destroyed and the village decimated."

"And where will you go if it is?"

"I'll keep flying around, trying to find any new things to bring to Hooligan Village. Any new supplies or foods, recipes, blueprints and the like. In addition to that, I'll observe any new species of dragons I come across, recording my findings to be added to the Book of Dragons when I return." Stoick seemed to find their proposal reasonable.

"Well, I wish you luck, tell me when you're leaving. " The Chief's name was called by Gobber. "If you'll excuse me…" He left them be. Hiccup and Aran were silent for a bit.

"So… When do you think you'll be heading out…?" He didn't want Aran to leave, but a part of him told him that perhaps it was for the best. Maybe a month away from Aran would stop the unnatural attraction he felt towards them.

"Originally I was planning on leaving like, tomorrow, but I wanna finish all the mermaid drawings and give them to everyone before I leave." Aran smiled. Hiccup frowned as he thought about the drawing.

"Did you have to make me so…" Snotlout had said girly, and while Hiccup sort of agreed with him, he didn't want to say that. "Frilly and sparkly?"

"I was trying to make you look like a prince. You know, son of the Chief and all that." They frowned. "Sorry if you wanted something else… I didn't really ask you."

"N-no, no it's fine. I just…" He blushed slightly. "I don't know, honestly. I like it though, I swear."

"Good! Because yours is going to be very fun to colour." Aran covered their mouth with their hand as they giggled slightly. "We never took the shells and seaweed out of your hair."

"Oh gods." The mortification was clear in his voice as he reached his hands up to his head, but Aran only laughed more. "No wonder dad was looking at me weird! I'm covered in sand, shells, and weeds!"

"Here, let me help." Aran stepped closer, beginning to pick his hair clean. Hiccup had no objections. "You should take a bath and wash your clothes after this, honestly. Sorry if there's sand gunking up your foot." Hiccup shrugged.

"It's fine." His voice came out a bit quiet, but he wasn't stuttering at least.

"That's the last I can get to, I think. The sand is too fine for my fingers." They brushed said fingers through his hair a couple times regardless, ruffling it in an attempt to shake the sand out. "Jeeze, I'm sorry."

"Aran, it's fine, really."

Hiccup received a look from Aran that he had no trouble reading into. It's the sort of look Aran gets when they feel that something is wrong, but isn't sure whether to push the issue or not. The shorter teen chanced a small smile, insisting that it was fine, and that Aran really didn't need to worry about him so much. Thankfully, it hadn't taken too much convincing to get Aran to leave the topic alone, and the two of them soon parted ways, as Hiccup wanted to go flying on Toothless, who had spent the entire day thus far hovering near Hiccup just far enough for nobody to properly notice him. He revealed himself as soon as Hiccup called for him, and the two of them went off to get Hiccup's riding gear from his house before taking off, focusing solely on flying. The last thing he wanted to think about was how much he was sure he was going to miss Aran when they left. Hiccup didn't get home until very late that night, and the strong winds had completely removed all traces of sand from his hair, as if he'd never spent the day at the beach in the first place.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,796**_

 **Obligatory beach episode. There will be at least one more in the future when they're older and Hiccup isn't a scrawny little unconfident shit. He'll be a fit tall unconfident shit. Also, I can admit I mainly wanted to write this chapter because I think it's hilarious when Hiccup is checking Aran out and then he's just "nO WRONG BAD STOP"**

 **The mermaid thing was super self indulgent and btw I have no idea what Tuffnut is doing in his portrait haha apparently he's swinging an axe around underwater? Anyways I'm realizing I missed out on the opportunity to make someone a clownfish. Oh well, just know in ur heart that the drawings/soon to be paintings are kinda important but what they are doesn't super matter a bunch? I dunno what to type so umm**

 **there was a guest reviewer yeah**

 **From: MMM (Guest)**  
 **-**

 **MMM:yeah focus on school we can wait school comes first.**

 **Reply: ehhh, the problem isn't that I'm concerned about you guys getting impatient like don't get me wrong I love that all of you love my shit and keep reading it and leaving lovely reviews and all, but I honestly just cannot stop writing this. When I try to write an essay about like The Great Gatsby I somehow wind up writing 11 pages of beach content. I have problems and no reassurance can fix them lmaoooo**


	17. Gay Talks and Odd Families

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

The days that followed the one spent at the beach surprisingly had Aran spending a surprising amount of time alone. Whenever anyone saw them around the village, they usually had their sketchbook in their hands. Hiccup suspected they were devoting their time to completing the drawings they'd done of everyone. It was a little over two weeks later when they finally took their nose out of the book and spent a little time actually talking to the other teens. Sure, they would sit with Hiccup and the others at times, but they would stay quiet, not contributing to the conversation due to their concentration. When Hiccup saw them speaking with his father near Meade Hall, his curiosity was piqued. Méaróg was nowhere to be seen, which was unusual for the pale pink dragon. After the events with the Red Death, the sand wraith had followed Aran everywhere, as if making up for lost time.

Aran looked around, and Hiccup noticed that in addition to the pouch they always had strapped across their chest and under their jacket, they had a larger bag. He wondered what was in it, but they seemed to spot what they were looking for and began walking away. He followed them, trying his best not to trip with his prosthetic foot. Sure, he'd begun getting used to it, but he still slipped if he wasn't careful. Hopefully by the time Aran got back from Ireland, he wouldn't have anymore trouble. Ruffnut and Tuffnut came into his view. The twins seemed to be in the midst of pretending they were invisible but talking very loudly. Aran looked highly amused, loudly wondering where their favorite twins were, lamenting about how they had hoped to give them their merfolk paintings before they left, but they supposed it couldn't be helped. They heaved a dramatic sigh as Ruffnut and Tuffnut exchanged conflicted looks before scrambling to be visible again. Aran laughed, about to hand them over when Hiccup decided to approach. He wanted to see the finished product, after all!

"Those look nice." He commented, looking at the paintings. Aran smiled at him, and Hiccup felt his heart flutter.

"Thanks!" They handed them to the twins.

"Wait, what do we do with these?" Tuffnut asked after the two of them excitedly observed and compared the art.

"Hang 'em on the wall or something." Aran shrugged. "If you really don't know, you can give them to your parents. Anyways, I have to get moving. I wanna leave for Ireland before midday and I still have to give these-" They held up the pages they'd torn neatly out of their book. "To all of you guys."

The small group split into two, the twins going off only the gods know where. It somewhat surprised Hiccup that Aran stayed silent as they walked. They usually tried to fill the silence with mindless chatter, or some sort of musical thing such as humming, whistling, or singing. Hiccup liked it when they sang. Their voice was a higher pitch than one would expect, and Hiccup remembered that the one time he'd commented on it, a strangely uncomfortable expression flashed across their face before they not so subtly changed the subject. It seemed that Aran still wasn't being completely open with him, but Hiccup supposed there wasn't really anything he could do about that. Either way, he'd come to appreciate their voice for what it was, and it was odd that they weren't using it in some way.

"Oh hey, there's your cousin!" Hiccup was broken from his thoughts. "Snotlout, Snotlout!" They shouted.

"Oi, oi, oi!" He shouted in response. The two approached each other, and Aran shoved him. "What's up, man?" It was weird for Hiccup to see Snotlout actually treat someone like an equal. He'd shoved Aran back, but there was no actual malice in it. "Also, just a warning, there's a talking fishbone following you."

"Oh trust me, I know." Aran laughed in good nature, slinging their left arm around Hiccup as they used their dominant hand to hold Snotlout's painting. Hiccup's throat felt kind of dry. Otherwise he may have tried to shoot back a retort. "I finished all of the merfolk paintings, thought I'd give them to you before I left for Ireland."

"Huh." Snotlout took it. "I gotta say, you made my muscles small." Aran snorted.

"Oh, and here I was worried I made them too big." Snotlout looked offended. "And don't try to argue with me. You haven't won a single fight with me."

"I mean, I **guess** it's alright." He stated, acting as if he didn't care about the painting. Both of the freckled teens knew he was probably going to hang it in his room in the basement he'd been bragging about during dragon killing training a few months ago.

"Well, I'm off to find Fishlegs." Aran waved, turning themself and Hiccup in a different direction. "See you later, béalsnot!"

"I think I saw Fishlegs by the forge. Something about Meatlug being hungry."

Hiccup's words came out as a mumble, not sure why Aran kept the arm around his shoulders. He supposed it was meant to be a friendly gesture. If asked, Aran would claim it was a friendly gesture, and they would honestly mean that. They held no romantic or sexual feelings for Hiccup, and they would really appreciate it if the rest of the village would stop sending them distasteful looks because of the assumption. When they'd almost reached the forge, Aran retracted their arm, pulling Fishlegs's painting out. They'd done as well a colouring job as they had with all of their paintings. The large teen excitedly accepted the art, saying he would hang it in his room when he got home. At that point, the only drawings Hiccup hadn't seen were his own and Astrid's. He wondered why Aran hadn't already given him his drawing yet, and feared that they had decided he wasn't worthy of their art skills.

"Hey! Laochra!" Aran called out. Hiccup recognized it to be the word for warrior as Astrid sent the two of them a small smile, hopping off of Stormfly.

"Hey there yourself, princess." Aran snorted, and Hiccup was left feeling rather confused.

"I **still** can't believe you're **actually** calling me that."

"Yeah, umm, context would be nice. That was weird." Astrid huffed, tossing her braid over her shoulder.

"When Aran gave me my nickname it wasn't just warrior, it was warrior princess. The princess part made it too long." The blonde girl reached the two of them, and Hiccup noted that she was almost Aran's height. Aran wasn't very tall for a guy, Hiccup decided. They weren't short, like Snotlout, but he doubted they would reach anywhere near the impressive height of his father.

"I dared her to call me princess to make up for it at some point when you weren't around and she didn't hesitate."

"Hey, a dare's a dare. I had my pride at stake." She put her hands on her hips, and Hiccup wished his registration of her attractiveness would make him attracted to her as opposed to him wanting to comb his fingers through Aran's red locks as they rested their head on his lap. "What did you call me down for?"

"I finished all the paintings. I'm leaving for Ireland today, and I wanted to give them to everyone. Obviously, I saved you for last because you had one of the best ones. Seriously, Astrid. You make a great mermaid." They handed her the painting, and Hiccup had to agree.

"It's really nice." She smiled. "I'll hang this in my room in a bit. What about Hiccup's?" Hiccup gave his friend a pointed look. Aran shrugged.

"Well, I saved the **actual** best for last." Their lips stretched into a grin, and Hiccup's cheeks flushed. "Hiccup is the one who inspired the whole thing, so his is kind of the prettiest. Like, come on, he's a sparkly merman prince. I had to go all out."

And they really had. Hiccup wasn't sure how they did it, but somehow they'd captured just how soft his hair was, and how grainy the sand was that day. Skin faded to rich, dark, iridescent green scales at his waist, translucent green frills flowing elegantly. The matching patches of scales on his arms and shoulders were subtle, and seemed natural, concentrating more around his neck where gills were clearly visible. More scales concentrated around his ear fins, which shared the same aesthetic of his tail. The circlet made of seaweed and seashells was strangely natural and elegant resting on his head, and Hiccup noted that Aran had followed through on the sand sparkling in the sun on his hair and skin. Luckily, they'd played down his blush in favor of carefully spotting his face with freckles. The necklaces, bracelets, and belt matched the circlet in terms of materials, though Hiccup thought the shells on the circlet were prettier. Small details were everywhere, and Hiccup was surprised to notice Aran had included the faint scar beneath his lip. He'd had the scar as long as he could remember, but his father never told him where it had come from. It was another one of those things he was sure had something to do with his mother due to the pain in his father's eyes.

"Wow, Hiccup." Astrid smiled at him. "You look good."

"W-well, I mean, it's Aran's art, I'm not really-"

"You are, though. That's you." She leaned slightly closer. Hiccup nodded nervously.

" _Shit_." Aran said as they heard the distant shout of their sibling. "I lost track of time, Méaróg is probably waiting for me."

The Irish teen pulled both of them into a tight hug, something that surprised the younger teens. Aran grinned at them before shouting something so quickly in their mother tongue that Hiccup couldn't even decipher it. Soon, they were climbing up onto Méaróg's back, asking the two of them to say goodbye to everyone for them. It was interesting to note that, as they flew away, they seemed to be laying down, their back on Méaróg's. Hiccup supposed they didn't really need to to steer the dragon, as Méaróg had been the one to bring them to the Isle of Berk in the first place. Astrid cleared her throat, and Hiccup noted the more serious, thoughtful expression on her face.

"Do you wanna… go for a flight or something?" Hiccup blinked. Her voice was oddly soft.

"Umm, sure, uhh…" He looked around. "I need to find Toothless first." The black dragon was nowhere to be seen, which was a bit odd considering the fact that he'd been following him around ever since he woke up. Astrid nodded.

"And I have to hang this in my room." She lifted the painting of herself with a beautiful lionfish tail, sitting on a large rock as she sharpened her mother's old axe. "Meet up here in fifteen?" Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah. Y-yeah, I'll see you…" She took off on Stormfly. "I'll see you then."

Hiccup finished the sentence in a mumble to himself before heading off towards his house. He wasn't really sure where Toothless could be, and when he asked around the village, nobody else had seen him. The only other place he could think of was the cove, so Hiccup made his way towards the woods as quickly as he could. He didn't want to leave Astrid waiting, after all. After not seeing Toothless in the cove, Hiccup was stumped, walking back to the village and kicking pebbles and the like. When he was nearly out of the forest, he heard the familiar cry of his other half.

"They're gone."

"What? No!" Hiccup followed the sounds, seeing a bright blue and yellow monstrous nightmare. "Where did they go?"

"South?" Toothless seemed to be speaking to them.

"We should follow them!" Cawed a nadder that Hiccup could have sworn he'd seen before. The bird-like dragon had a beautiful purple hide that glinted in the sunlight.

"Are you sure? What if they don't want us to?"

"You worry so much! Come, before we lose them!" The nadder took to the sky, monstrous nightmare following almost timidly. It was a strange sight to see.

"Have fun!" Toothless shouted, releasing a friendly blast of plasma to the sky. It exploded and beautiful purple rings shot out across the sky.

"Toothless!"

"Young!" Toothless bounded towards him, nuzzling his face affectionately.

"Hey there bud, I've been looking for you!" Hiccup's face split into a smile. "I missed you." He hugged the dragon.

"I'm sorry…" Toothless crooned. "Mathilda and Corcra were looking for Aran and Méaróg."

"Astrid wants to go flying." Hiccup informed him as he mounted him. "We were supposed to meet up with her about ten minutes ago by now."

"Sorry!"

Toothless took to the sky quickly, Hiccup directing him to where Astrid was waiting. She didn't seem to mind him taking so long, insisting that everything was fine as he apologized. The two of them took off, the wind gentle and the sky neutral. Clouds weren't thick and heavy, though the sky certainly wasn't clear either. Astrid seemed to have something on her mind, and Hiccup let her think as he focused on the pleasant feeling of cool wind in his hair, chilling his face. He wasn't sure how much time had passed with only the sounds of the wind and ocean surrounding them before his blonde companion spoke.

"So, I thought we should talk." She stated simply.

"About what?" Astrid didn't look at him.

"I kissed you." Hiccup blinked.

"Right. That." She turned her head slightly, watching him from the corner of her eye. Her face held a neutral expression.

"So…?" Hiccup frowned.

"I don't really… know what to say." He admitted.

"Fine." There was a pause. "I was just wondering if you wanted to try the whole… dating thing." It was quiet for a moment, and Hiccup idly thought that if he was in Astrid's shoes, he would probably be floundering his words right about now instead of waiting for a response.

"O-oh, umm, jeeze." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I-I don't know, it's kind of…" His cheeks heated up, and he scratched the back of his neck.

"Do you want some time to think about it?" Something about her voice seemed strangely forced, and Hiccup wondered how she managed to keep her face so neutral.

"Y-yeah, I'm really, really sorry." Hiccup rubbed his face. "It's just kind of… weird, to think about ro-romance after killing the dragon Queen, I guess. I never really thought I'd be able to… get anyone interested in me." Astrid nodded plainly, and Hiccup really couldn't read her at all.

"Yeah." She didn't say she understood, because she very definitely did not understand. "I've just had problems with actually liking guys, but I know I have to…" Hiccup's brows furrowed at her comment of struggling to like guys. A sigh escaped her, but she refused to let her shoulders sag. "I have to get married, have kids, keep the bloodline going and all that. Figured maybe it'd be a worth a shot to try dating someone before I'm forced to marry Snotlout or something."

"Astrid…" She sounded strangely vulnerable, which was a change from her usual strong personality. It made his voice come out softer than intended.

"I don't want pity." Her voice was harsh, and Hiccup realized his mistake.

"It wasn't pity. I guess it was… empathy or something." He frowned. "Astrid, when you said you had trouble liking guys, did you…" She looked away. "Did you mean what I think you meant?"

"No. Maybe." Pause. "Yeah…" It was strange to see her second guess her words in such a way. "I don't want to… **be** that way, though. I know I'm going to have to marry some guy eventually to have kids, and I'd really like to actually be attracted to him at that point. If I can't do that then, it'd just be nice for him to be someone who's nice… like you. You're a nice guy, Hiccup." Astrid chanced a small smile at him, and Hiccup noted that it seemed forced, even a little nervous. She was taking a huge leap of faith telling him this. Maybe he should do the same…?

"Oh, man." He really didn't mean to start laughing. Astrid tensed. "W-wait, I'm sorry it's just-" Hiccup snickered. "Oh man." He repeated.

"You don't have to laugh at me. I can leave." Her response was sharp, and Hiccup noticed that she was about to direct Stormfly to head back to Berk.

"Wait!" He probably sounded panicked, and when Astrid turned to face him again, she was glaring, though if he was being honest he deserved it. "I'm just- I've been trying to tell myself this whole time to stop, stop- stop…" Astrid blinked, raising a brow. "Do you remember me staring at you on the beach?"

"Yes…?" She nodded slowly. "Your face was red. That's… one of the main reasons I thought it'd be a good idea to spring the whole 'dating' thing on you. You still haven't convinced me this wasn't a terrible idea."

"Gods no, I was red because I was looking at Aran." She looked ahead quickly, before looking back at Hiccup.

"At Aran?" Hiccup nodded, blushing slightly. Astrid laughed slightly. "You're kidding me. We're both…?" He nodded again, and the two of them began giggling.

"I-I mean, I've never really thought anyone but him was attractive before…" He frowned. "Actually, no, I mean, I've never **been** attracted to anyone else." Astrid raised a brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, I can register when someone is- I know you're pretty. But I'm not… **attracted** to you." Astrid hummed.

"I guess that makes sense. I mean, I can see that you're cute, but it doesn't mean I actually…" Hiccup nodded. "But that hasn't stopped me from thinking other girls are cute. You've seriously never-"

"I've seriously never." He confirmed. "I don't know why, honestly. For the longest time I tried to convince myself that I liked you, but…"

"Aran said he thought you liked me because I was everything you wanted to be." She supplied, and Hiccup hummed.

"You know, he might have been onto something there. I've never really thought about it before." Astrid turned her view to the clouds. The four of them were just flying above the waters around Berk, never straying too far. "I don't even know how he'd pick something like that up…" Hiccup grumbled.

"I think Aran's a lot more observant than we give him credit for."

"Yeah…" A part of him really wanted to talk to Astrid about all of his internal struggles relating to Aran, but the rest of him squashed the thought immediately. This was embarrassing and needed to be suppressed.

"So… this talk spiraled way out of control." Astrid laughed.

"You can say that again."

"Really though, you wanna try giving this dating thing a try?" She didn't look uncomfortable this time. "Maybe we'll get lucky and start actually liking each other that way, and even if we don't, I know I'd rather be with you than Snotlout."

"And I guess I'd rather be with you than… anyone else." He paused. "Plus, can you imagine the look on Snotlout's face?" The blonde girl let out a hilariously unattractive laugh, which caused Hiccup to do the same, and soon both of them were laughing their asses off.

"So is that a yes?" She asked, wiping away tears of laughter.

"It is indeed, milady." The two of them snickered.

"You know, if you keep that up I may have to come up with an embarrassing nickname. How about I call you prince?" Hiccup groaned exaggeratedly.

"No, anything but that!" The title reminded him of his impending duties as Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Gods, was he not looking forward to that.

"Aww, you don't wanna be the prince to Aran's princess?" Astrid teased, and Hiccup blushed, the next words leaving his mouth before he could stop them.

"I'd rather it be the other way around." He managed to blush even more, and Astrid blinked in surprise. There was a look of understanding on her face.

"Oh…" Hiccup sighed.

"Yeah, that's… the main reason I've been trying not to… like him." The two of them went quiet.

The main reason Hiccup was so desperate to stop liking Aran wasn't because being with a man was frowned upon. It was because being the **submissive** one in that sort of relationship was frowned upon. Hiccup was rather scrawny, not very strong, and certainly not very tall. Aran wasn't the tallest or thickest, but certainly boasted a significant amount of muscle when compared to Hiccup's status as a talking fishbone. The Irish teen was strong, there was no denying that. The idea of being the dominant person in any situation, whether it be social, romantic, or sexual, was practically impossible to imagine due to Hiccup's anxiety versus Aran's confidence. It would be bad enough trying to engage in any sort of relationship with Aran considering how much he would prefer being submissive, but being the future Chief made the entire situation even messier, and there was no way he could see where being with Aran would bring him anything but misery from the other members of the village.

"Sorry, Hiccup." Astrid sent him her sympathy. He knew she wouldn't understand, though. Her liking girls came with different problems than him liking Aran did. She shot him a smile. "If you ever need to talk, I'll try to make time for you."

"Thanks." Hiccup returned the smile. "I don't really want to talk anymore, though. Fancy a more exciting flight?" He asked, and she quirked a brow. "Come on, Toothless." Hiccup patted his soulmate's neck before shooting through the sky, Astrid following soon after. He hoped flying would be enough to take his thoughts off of Aran, wondering what the Irish teen could be up to at this time

Aran was, in fact, taking a nap. The flight they had ahead of them was long, and the smell of the sea was crisp and salty. As Méaróg landed on a small, uninhabited island, Aran found themself feeling somewhat nervous. They weren't home quite yet, and they wondered how long the entire flight would take. When Méaróg had taken the two of them to Berk those two and a half years ago, they'd flown through the entire night, and likely the day (Aran couldn't remember because they'd passed out at some point) considering the fact that it was dark in Hooligan Village when they arrived. They weren't sure if Méaróg had been flying at the same speed as they did now, or if they had been going faster in an attempt to leave everything behind more quickly. Drawing lines in the dirt, they tried to calculate a rough estimate of when they would be home. It had taken about a full day to go from home to Berk, with no stops, and Méaróg probably flying at full speed. If they stopped for breaks and sleep, they would probably have to double that time. Add Méaróg's slower speed to the equation, and they figured it would take at least three days.

"Aran! Méaróg!" A familiar excited caw sounded out, and Aran squinted out into the distance. Méaróg's head perked up from where they had been organizing fish into different piles according to size.

"Corcra, wait!" Came the cry of a blazing salamander.

"Mathilda! Corcra!" Méaróg jumped up and down, knowing the two familiar faces would likely land, so there was no need to fly more. Their wings were slightly tired from the half-day of flying, and they were feeling lazy, so they didn't mind.

"Mathilda! Corcra!" Aran's cheery voice echoes what Méaróg had just said, though they didn't know that. "What are you doing here?" The spinetail and the salamander landed, and they found themself being pulled into a strange sort of leathery embrace by Mathilda.

"You didn't tell us you were leaving…" Mathilda crooned, nudging her head into Aran's entire body as they hugged her back.

"It was very rude of you. Mathilda would **not** stop worrying about the two of you! And then **I** had to put up with her!" Mathilda huffed in Corcra's general direction, but the beautiful purple spinetail ignored her, sticking his head under his wing as he preened.

"You know, I missed you guys." Aran smiled as they separated from Mathilda, walking over to Corcra. "Where's my hug, you weird bird?" Corcra squawked in offense.

"Bird!? I'm not some **common** feathery-" Aran wrapped their arms around his neck, and he instinctively wrapped his wings around them. "\- Young one, must protect. Protection for young."

Corcra immediately busied himself making sure nothing was around to threaten Aran, tail spines standing in anticipation as he made funny sounds in the back of his throat, head darting to look in every destination as he settled down, keeping Aran hidden in his wings as they laughed. Mathilda wandered over to Méaróg, who bounced up and down slightly, eagerly showing the salamander what fish was available. The colourful dragon let out what could be described as a strange sort of laugh before leaving momentarily, coming back with a log and setting it on fire. Corcra squawked, waddling to get Aran closer to the fire and opening his wings so they weren't completely hidden from sight. There was a verbal squabble between Mathilda and Corcra that Aran couldn't understand. All they could gather was that Mathilda didn't like the fact that Corcra had stabbed through one of the fish with a spine on his tail. If they'd understood Dragonese, they would know that Corcra had wanted to cook the fish for Aran and forgotten that his spines were, in fact, poisonous, and he had tainted the fish. Mathilda clearly wasn't about to let her friend accidentally poison Aran, so she'd scolded him.

Regardless, Aran found themself smiling at the scene. They hadn't expected Mathilda and Corcra to show up, but it was certainly nice to have them around even if all they understood was mindless shouting. Mathilda wound up being the one to properly cook Aran's fish, having clumsily stabbed several fish of various sizes with a stick and proceeded to hold it above the burning log until it looked correct. It was an endearing sight, and Aran wasn't about to reject the free cooking. The salamander really did always try to pander to Aran's every need, and after they left Corcra's wing cocoon to sleep against Méaróg's sight, she made sure to stay close. When the fire died out later in the night, with the others fast asleep, she nudged her snout gently against Aran's cheek, trying to determine whether they were cold or not. Not sure if they were, she settled down even closer, draping her large wing over Aran like a blanket. Corcra had chosen a spot on the side of Méaróg that Aran hadn't been leaning against, sitting rather birdlike despite his previous protests, head tucked under his wing. When they woke up early the next morning, before the three dragons, Aran couldn't help the grin on their face. Even if their real family wound up being long gone, this (admittedly odd) one was just as lovely.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,565**_

 **I have some actually important things to say regarding the story here!**

 **1) I never thought about how vikings ACTUALLY viewed homosexuality back in the day, and I'd been imposing Christian ideas onto the whole situation! Oops! What got me thinking about it was a HiJack Hogwarts AU (can't remember the title but it was REALLY good- Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons and also Mavis from Hotel Transylvania was there) on AO3, and they sort of delved more into the issue (and a bunch of other cool Norse things that I wanna include but I don't wanna be a copycat). That lead me to some research of my own before this chapter, and I'm trying to do things better from now on.**

 **The viking view of male homosexuality is... not super negative if you're the one being dominant? But if you're the submissive one, it's shameful and terrible and unmanly. So. There's Hiccup's problem. Meanwhile, female homosexuality is kinda up in the air, but for the purposes of this fanfic the general dealio is that "lesbians are bad because there aren't enough viking women and we need more children" so yeah there's that.**

 **Hiccup gets a lucky break with Aran tho because Aran can have children bc they're basically trans and I mean hey if they can have kids what's the problem with them gaying it up? They can continue the Haddock bloodline AND manage to avoid scrutiny of being unmanly in sex bc their lack of dick makes it all the more impressive that they're so generally masculine OUTSIDE of sex that it doesn't matter lmao**

 **2) Hiccup's sexuality can't really properly be labeled in the fic because the word wasn't coined until some point in 2006 if I'm getting my facts right! He's homo demisexual, which is like gay but slightly more complicated because he's also demi (someone who doesn't experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone) so that's why Aran is the first (and only) person Hiccup has ever been attracted to, and will continue to be the only person he's ever been attracted to, because there's literally nobody else for him to be attracted to. I could go further with his sexuality (poly demisexual - same thing but instead of being exclusively attracted to males, in this case he'd just be attracted to people who are Not Female bc hey Aran doesn't identify as a guy 100% of the time but really I think that's unnecessary. Also, keep in mind that polyromantic/sexual is a kinda funky orientation that can be different for everyone!) but really all you need to know is that he's basically Aran-sexual at this point (also his romantic orientation is the same as his sexual orientation). If you're confused about Hiccup basically being gay and not caring abt lack of dick you need to get your head outta your ass bc you don't need a dick to be a guy. Plus, Hiccup is less gay than he is just attracted to Aran so.**

 **3) Astrid is a lesbian. She's The Big Gay. Her and Heather are going to date. An important note about this tho: I actually do like Heather and Fishlegs together? Like, their relationship is lovely, honestly, even if I don't see it ever becoming sexual because she falls for his mind and personality. Seeing as they aren't the main focus of the fic, I can just say right here that I am all for polyamory as long as everyone involved knows what's going on! I view Heather as homosexual panromantic, so she's romantically attracted to both Astrid and Fishlegs, but is only sexually attracted to Astrid. This doesn't lessen her relationship with Fishlegs at all (my gf and I are both asexual and we've been together for 7 months and I love her a bunch okay so if you think sex is necessary for a relationship you are Wrong) and I see Fishlegs as pan in both departments. It is, in fact, very possible for a relationship to last when one partner has sexual desires towards the other but the other does not, so that's not an issue either. Fishlegs would never force her into anything, and Heather isn't against having sex to have children even if she Does Not desire the D. Astrid and Fishlegs are both fine with Heather being with the other too, and there's no animosity between them about the whole relationship thing! They actually grow a lot closer than they were before because of it, even if they're not attracted to each other!**

 **4) As long as we're on the topic of romantic and sexual orientations. Pretty much everyone else is straight. Except like, Gobber (he's also The Big Gay) and Valka (she's panromantic and pansexual with a slight preference for males but Stoick is her One True Love). Nobody else important is queer in my brain yet. I might pair Tuff up with Eret for laughs tho lmao so if that happens well then I guess they're Not Straight :p**

 **5) Hiccup and Astrid being gay best friends who are so close everyone is convinced they're dating is one of my favorite things so like. When they break up literally like nobody will know at first because they keep threatening divorce and shit lmaooo I love Hiccup and Astrid being BFFs**

 **6) I love my dragon OCs do you mind them? I love them So Much I really hope you like them because I love them a bunch. Also, there are gonna be some new OCs coming with Aran's return to Ireland, but they won't be super important after a few chapters. Just. Warning! Aran and Mearog are not my only OCs! Also, general overview of Corcra and Mathilda's personalities. Mathilda is a huge softie and a worrywart despite being a monstrous nightmare, and she's pretty timid and softspoken when it comes to defending herself but she's fiercely protective of those who care about her (even if she's not actually that great at defending them). Corcra is vain and overconfident. He's breathtakingly beautiful and he knows it. He pretends he isn't super playful and tries to act all proud all the time too, and he gets super offended very easily, but he really is just like a weird big bird. He also is extremely protective, and sometimes his instincts just take over and suddenly he's cocooning Aran in his wings and shit like that lmao :p I love them**

 **Anyways, I had fun with this chapter :^) As always, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Also if I seemed rude before I'm sorry it's 2am. Please ask me questions if you don't think I was thorough about something, i promise i'm super friendly and more than willing to explain! Ask my friends I swear I'm a pal.**

 **See ya next time!**


	18. I Really Just Wanted a Timeskip

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Aran's estimate had been rather accurate when they guessed it would take at least three days to reach Ireland. It took them nearly four, due to the wind working against them, but as they flew further south, it grew warmer and warmer. They shed their jacket, folding it and storing it in the bag they'd brought with them. When they touched down by their familiar house, nerves gripped them. It was dark, likely time for dinner, and the house was just as they'd left it those two and a half years ago. Their heart hammered in their chest as they approached the door. The sight of light in the window did not go unnoticed by them, and their hand shook slightly as they knocked on the wood. Méaróg nudged their back to comfort them, and they swallowed the lump in their throat as they heard footsteps approach the door. It opened, and they were greeted by a familiar sight.

" _Dad?_ " Their voice cracked and they held their arms up awkwardly, not sure if they should go for a hug or not. They saw their mother walk up behind him.

" _Aran?_ " She questioned in disbelief.

" _Mum!_ " A smile grew on their face.

Orlaith stepped forward, bringing her child into a tight hug. Aran grinned, laughing into her dark hair as they hugged back. Canice joined the snug embrace, and they all just relished in each other's warmth until Méaróg thought it was time to caw loudly. The three of them separated, Aran's parents rushing out to hug their other child, giving them affectionate scratches. Mathilda and Corcra observed from nearby, not sure what to make of the new humans. They must be fine if Méaróg and Aran are so fond of them, right? Aran's parents separated themselves from Méaróg, turning to face Aran again, huge smiles on their faces. Canice went inside briefly to get a lantern while his wife got seating ready for the three of them outside. This way, they would be able to talk and not be excluding Méaróg. Aran offered to fetch their parents plates of food from inside, as well as a plate of their own.

" _Oh, Aran, you haven't changed a bit._ " Orlaith couldn't keep the warm smile off of her freckled face, the corners of her brown eyes crinkling.

" _Ah, I tried my best so you could recognize me if I ever saw you again._ " Aran's face was stretched into a grin as well though, so it was fine.

" _I don't think we would have trouble even if you did change._ " Canice laughed.

The three of them caught up, Aran introducing their parents to Corcra and Mathilda, as well as regaling the story of everything that had happened on Berk. A pleasant quiet fell among them, and Aran drank in their appearances. Their mother shared the same warm brown eyes as them, freckles littering her soft tan skin. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun with a piece of leather, and she wore small earrings. She wasn't tall at all, and she was just the slightest bit curvier than Aran. Canice, on the other hand, stood taller than Aran by a few inches, short brown hair brushed out of his somewhat pale face. His eyes were an unoutstanding sort of blue, but they showed kindness and relief. Freckles were sparse on his cheeks.

" _You should let us meet Hiccup sometime._ " Orlaith smiled. " _He sounds like he needs a hug._ " Aran rolled their eyes at that. Of course their mother wanted to hug Hiccup.

" _You know, maybe I will one day. I'll ask him when I go back to Berk._ "

After a while, the three of them went inside to sleep. Aran stayed out a moment longer to say goodnight to the three dragons, promising they would find somewhere nice and comfortable for them to sleep in the future. Méaróg flew off towards the nearby beach, burying themself in the sand with joy, loving the feeling of the sand that had been warmed by the sun all day. It was something they couldn't get back on Berk. Corcra flew up to perch on top of the house, tucking his head beneath his wing as he got comfortable. Mathilda simply curled up on the ground, her face by the window to Aran's room. Sleep came to them easily that night, as they were tired from both the long flight and the hours of catching up with their parents.

The next day was spent with Aran going about town, excitedly greeting people they hadn't seen in two and a half years. Many childhood friends greeted them with open arms, and Aran laughed at the fact that many had grown taller than them. They enjoyed the warm air, not even touching their jacket as they enjoyed the feeling of wind through their shirt. Many people insisted on him going drinking with them, and Aran was startled by how bad they were at handling their alcohol. In the time they'd been with the Hairy Hooligans, they had avoided drinking as much as possible, out of fear that they would blab about Méaróg or the real reason they had a large burn scar on their chest. Back home they had nothing to hide, and they built their alcohol tolerance up significantly. Nearly every night was spent with them drinking.

An interesting thing they noted was that several of their old friends seemed rather attracted to them. It was flattering, and their poor alcohol tolerance did nothing to prevent them from losing their virginity. The person they performed the deed with had been someone they were never particularly close to, but they had talked on occasion. His name was Finn. They were surprised by the fact that they didn't care about that in the slightest, and it certainly wasn't the last time they would sleep with someone in their time in Ireland. Finn ended up asking them out, and they'd agreed, both of them knowing the relationship wouldn't be very serious. It was a strange sort of thing, having a boyfriend and being allowed to sleep around. Aran wasn't sure how they felt about it.

In addition to the alcoholic and sexual escapades, Aran resumed their duty of doing odd jobs around town, Méaróg helping. Even Corcra and Mathilda tried to help, and Corcra quickly became popular with the girls in town due to his beautiful hide. Mathilda had many male admirers due to her inherently frightening appearance, but unlike Corcra, she wasn't fond of the attention. Aran thought it was amusing. It was nearly two weeks later when an unfamiliar group of dragons flew into view of town, intent on stealing cattle and setting fire to several buildings. Corcra had been the first to react, driving the wild beasts away with well aimed tail spines. He hit one of them in the neck as it tried to escape, and Aran suspected the creature would die trying to get home. They questioned their mother, asking if the town had become subject to dragon raids since the first attack, and she shook her head, claiming that it was just one small family of dragons who kept coming back to wreak havoc and cause mischief. Orlaith mused that they probably didn't know they were doing significant damage.

One day, Corcra and Méaróg were nowhere to be found. Aran tried not to worry, instead focusing on helping reinforce town. They gave out tips they'd picked up while living with the vikings, and took charge in helping rebuild several buildings to be stronger against any attacks. Stone would help to prevent being burned to the ground. Finn had teased them as they helped rebuild, saying they always cared so much when they really didn't have to. It was a positive trait, he insisted, claiming that he found it attractive. Aran had to laugh at that, telling their boyfriend to go back to work, as he was supposed to be milking a cow at that moment. He'd refused to leave without a kiss, and it wound up being just a bit more heated than Aran had planned. They ended up shoving him into a trough of water that had been placed nearby for any of the three dragons who now frequented town to drink from. He pouted playfully as they stuck their tongue out, and the two of them went their separate ways.

When Corcra and Méaróg returned a few days after leaving, Aran asked them where they'd been. They'd been worried sick! Through an elaborate game of charades, Corcra and Méaróg told them they had left to speak with the dragons that had been causing the town grief. Mathilda had been told to stay behind to defend the town just in case. It turned out that Aran's mother had been correcting in thinking they didn't know they were causing such chaos. The group of dragons were young and didn't know any better, but after a stern talking to from the older dragons, they saw the error of their way and agreed to play in less destructive ways. They even started playing harmlessly around town, children becoming quickly fond of them. The town certainly had nothing on Berk, which had dragons everywhere, but they were getting there.

It was easy to say Aran was enjoying life back home. In fact, they were enjoying themself so much, that by the time the three weeks passed, they decided to stay there even longer. They told themself they would stay until they finished reinforcing the town. Then they told themself they would stay until they'd finished building better sleeping places for the dragons. After Finn's birthday passed. After they finished this one painting. As time flew by, they continued making excuses to stay in Ireland, barely thinking about the Isle of Berk. It wasn't the same in Hooligan Village, however.

"It's been a year, Hiccup." Came Astrid's voice from above.

"Maybe he got lost." Hiccup mumbled from his position on the ground. He was sitting with his legs pulled up to his chest, chin resting on his knees as he looked over the ocean.

"Whatever happened, you can't get this hung up over it." Astrid settled down beside him. "Every time you don't show up at the academy, you're always here. You know that if he **does** come back, he's not going to come to this spot, right?" Hiccup just shrugged.

"He might." But he knew that if they returned, it probably wouldn't be to the spot they'd taken off from. Astrid was giving him a highly unamused look, and he sighed. "I know… I just… miss him a lot." Hiccup's voice was quiet, and his 'girlfriend' scooted closer to him, putting an arm around him.

"We all do, Hic." He frowned as she seemed to change her mind about hugging him, instead running a hand through his hair. It was getting longer, but not long enough to really do anything with it. Astrid hoped he kept growing it out. She really wanted to braid it.

"It's different for you guys, though. He was my only friend before Toothless. Nobody else cared about me or stood up for me." Astrid crossed her legs, pulling him down to lay his head on her lap as she continued to run her hands through his hair.

"I know that, and I'm sorry. That doesn't excuse you from skipping out on dragon training though. I've been letting you get away with it, but you have to move on at some point. It's been an entire year." Hiccup huffed.

"Astrid, he's-"

"The only person you've ever been attracted to, I know. What a lousy thing to say to your girlfriend." She joked, bopping him on the nose.

"Well, you being my girlfriend doesn't seem to stop you from pointing out every cute girl you see." Astrid put a hand on her heart in mock offense.

"I would never!" Hiccup raised his eyebrows, and the two of them made eye contact before giggling. "Seriously though, Aran shouldn't be stopping you from running the academy. Did your dad stop being the Chief when your mom got taken away?"

"Astrid…" Green eyes bore into her blue ones, a glare evident.

"Look, I'm sorry for bringing your mom up, but this is getting ridiculous. You can't keep avoiding your responsibilities like this. We need you in the academy, Hiccup." Hiccup sighed.

"I know, I know…" He pushed her hand out of his hair, sitting up and rubbing his face. "I'm still just not used to people caring about what I say. It's weird, and I'm not confident with so much attention on me. It'd be easier if he was here."

"But you can make it without him. Come on, Hiccup." She stood, holding her hand out. He took it, and Astrid smiled at him. "Now come on, we're wasting daylight and the twins are probably ruining the academy as we speak."

Hiccup laughed, and the two of them flew to the academy after he called Toothless over. He missed Aran more than he liked to admit in front of anyone who wasn't Toothless or Astrid. It was more than just his crush going missing, because Aran was his first real friend. The thought of them leaving, lying that they would be back in a month then never coming back hurt him. He had begun to doubt whether they actually cared about him in the first place, even though he knew they had to have cared about him. If they didn't care, why would they have kept talking to him over those two years? Why would they have comforted him when he kind of wanted to die? Knowing they had to have cared about him didn't stop his paranoia at all, and the anxiety liked to hit him when he least expected it, whether it be in the middle of the night while he layed in bed trying to sleep, or right before dragon training.

Of course, Aran didn't know anything of this, and continued to have the time of their life back home. After a year and a half of dating, they broke up with Finn, who didn't take it very harshly at all. Several months later, they dated a girl named Betha, and the two of them lasted four months before her father forced them apart because Aran wouldn't be able to get her pregnant. Not having been planning to marry her anyways, they distanced themself from her, despite how much they'd enjoyed her company previously. At that point, Aran decided not to date anyone else, as all they were interested in at that point in their life in terms of relationships were casual flings, and they really didn't need to date someone to please themself.

Their first birthday back home had been huge, as they were turning eighteen, and it was more than cause for celebration. They'd had two very small birthdays back on Berk, one with only themself and Méaróg, and the other with Hiccup and the other teens. Now that they were back in Ireland, literally the entire town was celebrating, as they'd not only turned eighteen, but had returned after two years of absence to become an adult with them. It was a fun time, and there was a lot of drinking. Their nineteenth birthday was much smaller, and spent exclusively with their family. Orlaith had cooked their favorite meal in addition to providing them with a saffron kilt, and Canice gave them a new book to paint in, the pages beautifully thick and the new leather covered in beautiful patterns. Méaróg provided them with a large seashell, which they put in their room. Corcra and Mathilda hadn't known that it was a human custom to give gifts on the anniversary of one's coming into the world, so they'd panicked, flying about and trying to find something. They wound up crashing into each other at some point, and each lost a long tooth. Aran had found the situation so amusing that they turned the fangs into long, dangling earrings that they wore everywhere.

This inspired Méaróg's present for them on their twentieth birthday, when they gave Aran a necklace with one of their short, sharp teeth attached. Aran wore that everywhere too. When they'd arrived home that day, their mother gave them a jacket that looked just like the one they'd worn back on Berk, but cleaner and warmer. It also had a beautiful Celtic knot running along the bottom, and Aran was certain that she made it herself. They'd hugged her excitedly, and she smiled at them. Corcra had given them one of his beautiful scales, which they placed next to Méaróg's seashell from the previous year. Mathilda, on the other hand, had provided them with a handsome dagger, the wooden hilt wrapped with a leather grip that had beautiful designs on it. It looked old, and Aran wondered where she'd found it, but didn't question it. The gift from their father had been a new saddle for Méaróg, as the old one had worn down, and Aran was beaming by the time night fell. That was until their mother sat down beside them with a very serious look on her face.

" _Aran…_ " They made eye contact with her.

" _Yes, mum?_ " She sighed.

" _You've been back with us for three years, and I've been so glad to be with you again, but… what about Berk?_ " Aran blinked. What about Berk?

" _Umm?_ " Orlaith fixed him with a slightly confused look.

" _Surely, you meant to go back sooner. How long did you tell them you'd be gone?_ " Aran gulped.

" _It might have been… a month._ " They mumbled sheepishly as their mother gasped.

" _What in heaven's name are you still doing here!? That Hiccup boy must be miserable!_ " She stood up, pulling Aran up with her.

" _I-I mean, I was planning on going back eventually!_ " They were actually amazed that they'd put it off for so long. It wasn't as if they didn't want to go back, they'd just missed their hometown so much.

" _You mean eventually, now that I'm forcing you!_ " Orlaith was gathering their things. " _Where are your pants?_ " Aran blinked, looking down as they'd forgotten they were wearing their kilt. It went to their knees, barely leaving any of their freckled skin showing before it was covered by the fur of their boots.

" _I think I washed them last night, so they should be hanging outside?_ " Their mother pushed them to go get it, and they did so.

" _Aran, what's the rush?_ " It was Finn. Despite the two of them having broken up, they'd remained good friends. He followed Aran to where their pants were hung up.

" _I was actually only supposed to come home for a month before going back to Berk. I guess I forgot how fun it was to be here._ " They laughed, taking their now dry pants down. " _My mum found out I basically abandoned my friend, so she's making me go back and apologize for being gone for three years._ "

" _Jeeze._ " Jeeze indeed. Finn followed them to the door. " _You better come back sometime. I'll miss you._ " The two of them smiled at each other, vague lingering feelings passing between them but not amounting to anything.

" _Oh, don't worry. I don't think I could handle never seeing my mum again, crazy as she can get sometimes._ " Aran joked, and the two of them laughed.

" _Finn, I didn't know you were coming over._ " Orlaith made her presence known as she gave Aran their old pouch. " _Aran, put your sporran on. I don't want you losing anything._ " They rolled their eyes. In reality, they supposed they didn't need their old pouch, considering the fact that the leather sporran served the same purpose, but they didn't particularly care.

" _I know, mum._ "

" _Be safe._ "

" _I will, mum._ "

" _Take care of Méaróg._ "

" _Mum. I'll be fine. I made it here, and I can make it back again._ "

The two of them smiled at each other, embracing before Aran kissed her cheek and walked out the front door, calling for Méaróg. They jumped off the roof, surprising them. Corcra landed next to the siblings, and Mathilda walked towards them as well. Finn waved goodbye as he made his way back to town, and Aran flew to their father's work to say goodbye to him. Canice wished a good voyage upon them, and soon Méaróg was flying them back towards Berk. It was nerve-wracking, going back. They really didn't mean to stay away for three years, and now they couldn't help but wonder how much had changed. The wind seemed to work with them, because after two days of flying (Méaróg was flying more quickly than they had when they had left Berk for Ireland) they were close.

"Home?" Corcra cawed at Mathilda.

"Yes!" Mathilda excitedly burst into flame, and Aran had to laugh. They ran a hand through their loose red hair, some tension leaving them at the amusing display. Their left hand fiddled with the earring they'd fashioned out of Corcra's tooth.

"I'm going to fight Toothless." Méaróg almost seemed to laugh, and Corcra squawked.

"The pebble has a death wish!" He shouted as the three dragons landed.

"I swear, I can beat him now! I can beat Mathilda!"

"I'm a terrible fighter." She puffed harmless flame breath in their direction.

"Well…" Aran dismounted with a laugh as Méaróg seemed to glare at their companions. "I can do it."

They put their hands on their hips as they smiled at the reptiles. Corcra and Mathilda seemed to be teasing Méaróg about something. The two dragons were older than them, which was clear as Méaróg jumped up and down in frustration. It was a cute scene, and they looked up at the midday sky, noting the lack of cloud cover. They had landed in a sort of halfway point between where they knew their house was, and the village. Before they could choose the next course of action, however, a black dragon landed and it's rider said their name in shock with a familiar nasally voice they hadn't heard in three years.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 3,690_**

 **This chapter is short and not very good. I was planning on stretching the three years out more, but I couldn't think of what to even have happen? The point is that I just really needed a timeskip.**

 **ALSO I am aware that Irish people didn't have kilts (but then again I mean vikings didn't have horned helmets so). Maybe Aran has Scottish grandparents or something. The colour of the kilt is saffron, because what Irish people DID have was the lein-croich, which was just a really long tunic. And they tended to be saffron? Anyways the point is I wanted Aran to have a kilt fuck you I can do what I want**

 **Finn is probably blonde or something. He probably won't show up again. He also probably looks a little bit like (older) Hiccup in terms of body type because that's. That's Aran's type.**

 **Oh something important, I added a cover to the story! It's just a WIP (there's no shading and Mearog's wings have no stripes and there's no texture aside from the fur on Aran's jacket and boots and also Aran only has freckles on their face and nowhere else?) but it's enough for now**

 **One reason for this time skip is because I didn't want to watch the first 2 seasons of the show (RoB and DoB aren't on Netflix and I'm a lazy ass fucker) and another is because I love the 'suddenly. Hiccup is Tall'**

 **Anyways feel free to dislike my timeskip but w/e it's fine**

 **I hope u enjoyed anyways and I hope to see you again haha**


	19. Good to be Back

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Aran?"

Someone Aran could only assume was Hiccup had just dismounted Toothless. They could only assume this, because it seemed Hiccup had grown to be half a foot taller than them when they weren't looking. His hair was longer, but still looked as soft as ever. The round face Aran had grown accustomed to now had a strong jaw, and they could see that Hiccup had started having to actually shave. His tiny scar rested below his lips, though it seemed to stand out a little less now. The prosthetic foot looked the same, for the most part, but Aran suspected there were some slight tweaks they hadn't picked up. Beautiful forest green eyes were wide with shock, and his shoulders were now much broader than Aran could remember. They were suddenly struck by the fact that he had the exact body type of Aran's dream guy. A light blush dusted their cheeks, though they wondered if their freckles covered it up.

"Yeah, that's me." They blinked at him, hoping he hadn't noticed their response time being so slow because they were busy checking him out.

The two of them stood there, and Aran noted that Hiccup was taking in the changes Aran had gone through as well. Not much about them was different physically. Their hair was down, and perhaps it was a little longer than it had been before, but the metal spiral with the triskelion coin dangling at the end still hung from a lock of red hair. Their eyebrows were as thick as ever, freckles covering their pale skin. Full lips Hiccup had been thinking looked very kissable were the same natural pink colour, and he noted that they weren't wearing their jacket. The long sleeved shirt exposed their very freckled shoulders, as it always had in the past, but he noticed a new dragon tooth necklace hung around their neck. It sat on top of their shirt, below where he could see the familiar burn scar peeking out from under the fabric. Long fangs dangled from their ears as well, and they had the same boots, but Hiccup was surprised to see them wearing what looked like a long saffron coloured skirt. They wore a dark leather pouch on their front in addition to the one they had strapped over their chest. His cheeks heated up as he realized he was staring, and wiped his somewhat sweaty palms on his pants.

"It's been three years." He stated, and Aran looked embarrassed. "And your accent got even worse." Aran huffed.

"Well, I, for one, don't think that's a bad thing."

"Aran, I don't even think your accent was this bad when you first came to Berk. Which, might I remind you, was **five years ago**. And you've been missing for **three**."

"I got distracted." They muttered.

"Distracted for three years." Hiccup's voice was flat and unamused, and he honestly wasn't sure whether to be elated or angry. That was probably what kept him from hugging them.

"Well, when you start dating someone, sometimes you don't want to leave home, and then there were some dragons being especially mischievous so I had to take care of that- well, Corcra and Méaróg took care of it. And I had to help rebuild and reinforce some buildings, and I went drinking a lot. Also wound up dating someone else, but then her dad made us break up because, well, it's not like I can give them children. It was fine, really, because I wasn't aiming to get married and settle down with her. I got to see some of the kids I used to play with, too, and it was… I was having a lot of fun." Hiccup frowned. Of course they'd gotten a girlfriend (two?) in the time they'd been gone. "What have you been up to?"

"Uhh, Astrid and I started dating." And now he wanted to die, because of course those were the first words out of his mouth, and of course his voice had to crack. Aran raised their eyebrows, and Hiccup almost thought they looked disappointed.

"Astrid?" He shrugged.

"It's not a big deal. I mean, she's kinda more like my best friend than anything else and I don't really want to have kids with her or anything."

"Huh." The two of them stood beside each other as Méaróg pounced on Toothless. The two of them began to wrestle. "Well, I don't feel like talking about you and Astrid right now anyways, so what else have you been doing?"

"I, well, for a while I was in charge of the dragon academy here, but we shut that down because now I'm kinda busy exploring and finding new dragons and there's not much to do with the academy anymore." Aran smiled.

"Wow, that sounds exciting!"

Their eyes practically sparkled as they urged Hiccup to tell them about literally everything that had happened since they'd been gone. At some point during the conversation, the two of them took a seat on the ground. Hiccup's eyes kept straying to Aran's freckled shoulders, despite how hard he tried to stop himself. Though he'd known he'd grown in the past three years, it hadn't occurred to him that Aran was two years older than him, and had already stopped growing by the time they'd left for Ireland. It was startling to see his crush, who had been two inches taller than him, now half a foot shorter than him. Despite the height difference, Hiccup didn't doubt that they were probably still stronger than him. Somehow the conversation strayed to Aran's adventures in Ireland.

" _So yeah, that's how I lost my virginity before we even started dating._ " They had switched to Irish at some point. " _Finn's a really good person, even though we broke up. We never really talked before, but now he's probably my best friend back home._ " Hiccup sat there quietly for a moment, his head spinning. While it was startling enough that they'd been having quite a bit of sex in the time they'd been gone, something else caught his attention.

"Finn's a guy?" Aran blinked, his cheeks heating up slightly.

"Oh jeeze, did I say that, I was trying to-"

"Aran, it's fine. I'm just surprised. You always said Astrid and Ruffnut were cute, but you never said anything about guys." Hope flickered in Hiccup's chest before being crushed. Even if Aran did return his feelings, it wasn't as if they could be together.

"Well, it's not like Snotlout is cute." They stuck their tongue out. "None of the guys around were my type." Hiccup hummed, vaguely wondering why they used the past tense.

"What's your type, then?" He wondered if that question was a bit much, and Aran's response was calculated.

"Well, he has to be taller than me. I don't like guys who are shorter than me." They paused. "Some muscle is nice, but I don't want him to be stronger than me." Their brows furrowed as they stopped talking.

"What else?"

"He… well, this goes for guys **and** girls, but they have to be… okay with… what I am." Aran's gaze fixed on the ground, their voice coming out soft, and Hiccup raised a brow. It was unlike Aran to be unconfident in anything they did.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aran looked to be gathering their thoughts, so Hiccup stayed quiet.

"So, you know how girls bleed every month?" Hiccup nodded slowly, not sure how that was relevant. "And… do you remember that I told you I skipped dragon training because I was bleeding?" He sort of remembered that. It was a long time ago.

"Wait." Hiccup pieced together those two pieces of information. "So you-"

" _I don't have a dick._ " His cheeks flushed at the bluntness of that statement.

"But you're… still a guy, right?" Aran nodded, and Hiccup found that they were suddenly stripping their torso. "Aran, wha-"

" _My burn was…_ " They were shirtless, and Hiccup had to force himself to look at the twisted scar tissue instead of the freckles on their abs. " _I had breasts. I cut them off because I was drunk and nobody was there to stop me, and the only way I could think to seal the wound was to burn it. It hurt like hell, and I'm lucky I'm alive._ "

"Wow…" Hiccup's voice was quiet. He never would have guessed such a thing, and it vaguely occurred to him that his dreams and fantasies were inaccurate. It made sense, he supposed. It explained their curves, and why they weren't any taller (though that might also just be because people in Ireland aren't as tall as people in the archipelago). "I'm sorry." Aran gave him a confused look. "Sorry you had to go through that. It must have sucked, and I mean if the thing you decided to do when you got drunk was cut them off then you must have been so uncomfortable living with them before that."

" _Fuck._ " They wiped their eyes. " _I-it was, I-_ "

"Aran, are you okay?" He hoped he hadn't said anything wrong, and his arms hovered in the air, not sure what to do. He wanted to hug them, but he refrained, not sure if they would appreciate it.

" _I didn't expect you to- to immediately go for that and understand it._ " Aran laughed a watery laugh, continuing to wipe tears away. " _I shouldn't be crying. I'm over it._ " They laughed again, and Hiccup fiddled with his fingers as they let their shoulders shake. " _Sorry, I'm done._ "

"It's fine. You're still a guy though, right?" Aran nodded. "So nothing is really different." They smiled at him.

"This is why you're my best friend."

"You planning on putting your shirt back on?"

"Nah. Being shirtless is fun, you should try it sometime." Hiccup laughed dryly.

"I think I'd rather face the Red Death again." It wasn't even sarcasm. He would legitimately rather face the Red Death than take his shirt off in front of someone.

"I'd rather you didn't. You lost a leg the last time that happened." Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Astrid may not like you as much if you lose another one."

"Oh." He wished he hadn't told them about him and Astrid. "So this is completely off topic, but apparently you like guys and girls, and this is probably a really bad question, but how do you…" Hiccup wished he hadn't started talking.

"Are you asking me about sex?" He nodded, a blush obvious on his face. "Well, with guys I like to ride em, and with girls there are just a lot of hands involved."

"Oh gods, I did **not** think you were going to answer me." Hiccup hid his face in hands, cheeks burning. Aran laughed.

"Well, I wouldn't have because that's kind of an awful question to ask," Hiccup would have apologized if they hadn't kept speaking. "But you were so embarrassed I wanted to mess with you."

"Fuck you." Hiccup grumbled through his hands.

"I-" Aran cut themself off before continuing. " _Well, I would, but you kind of have a girlfriend. Sorry, Hic.I have a strict 'no cheating' policy, unless I'm drunk._ " Hiccup choked, indecent images flitting through his mind.

"That is **not** what I meant by fuck you." Aran sighed.

"Ahh, if only you were still a walking fishbone. I'd be able to scold you for cursing." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

The two of them continued to hang out before Hiccup realized nobody knew Aran was back but him. He pointed this out, and Aran blinked a couple times before laughing, as they had completely forgotten about that. Hiccup got to his feet first before holding a hand out to Aran. They took it, allowing him to pull them up before going one step further and pulling him into a tight hug. Hiccup's breath hitched in his throat, as would anyone else's if their shirtless crush was suddenly burying their face in your neck after having disappeared for three years. It took him a moment to hug back, and the hug lasted for much longer than either of them anticipated. Being separated from your best (human) friend for three years kind of makes you want to hug them, and if you add attraction to that, it's no surprise it lasted so long. When they broke the hug, Aran bent down to pick up their shirts, putting them back on. Hiccup thought to ask about something.

"So, umm, what's with the skirt?" Aran glanced down.

"Oh, it's a kilt. It's an Irish thing." They paused. "You know, sometimes I don't feel like a guy. But I don't feel like a girl, either. It's usually on days I use neutral words for Méaróg." Hiccup nodded.

"You know, you're telling me so much about this stuff it makes me feel guilty I'm not doing the same." He laughed.

"What is there to tell me? You have a girlfriend, and a dick." Hiccup made an odd sound, but Aran supposed it was warranted.

"I think I like guys…" He mumbled, but Aran didn't hear him properly.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Come on, everyone should be in Meade Hall."

"Alright, then. Why are you guys in the village, anyways? Shouldn't you be at Dragon's Edge?" Hiccup let out a long sigh.

"There was this fiasco with a skrill…"

Aran laughed as Hiccup began to tell a story about Dagur, a skrill, and Spitelout losing his voice as they walked towards the great hall. Corcra and Mathilda left them, wanting to greet some other dragons that spent their time near Berk, so it was just Aran, Méaróg, Hiccup, and Toothless. Upon entering town, Aran was attacked (with affection) by all the children of Hooligan Village. They couldn't stop laughing, and the kids wouldn't let up until Hiccup made them. After he helped them to their feet once more, Aran noted that he seemed to be more respected now than he had before they left. Hiccup laughed at that, saying something about the twins. The walk to Meade Hall took longer than it would have normally, mostly because everyone they ran into was excited to see Aran again. Aran tended to be a popular person wherever they went, due to their friendly and easygoing personality, so Hiccup supposed he shouldn't be surprised. It didn't stop him from being jealous when someone took all of their attention from him, but he figured that was his own fault.

"Hey, wait, maybe I should go in before you just to like, break the news to everyone?" Hiccup asked, stopping them as they approached the huge doors.

"Sure." They shrugged. "You have five minutes."

Hiccup nodded, walking into the large hall. The candles flickered, casting a warm light in the large room. It wasn't empty, but it wasn't packed either, and Hiccup found his friends easily. An idea popped into his head, and he made an effort to look as miserable as possible as he approached the table they sat at with a plate of food. He sat by Astrid, not bothering to make sure there was an empty space for Aran. Knowing his friends, they would all get up to greet them anyways. His sour expression didn't go unnoticed, and Astrid quickly put an arm around his waist, sending him a concerned look. It was Fishlegs who spoke first.

"Hey, are you okay?" His large friend asked, and Hiccup went through the effort of pretending to force a smile, keeping his eyebrows furrowed. It was surprisingly difficult, pretending he wasn't extremely happy at the moment.

"Yeah, just… thinking about how much Aran would have wanted to see a skrill." Hiccup generally didn't actually mention Aran's name around the table, but he couldn't think of a reason not to at this point. It didn't hurt anymore, as he knew that Aran definitely hadn't lied to him about coming back in a month. Sure, it was frustrating that they managed to get distracted for the entirety of three years before coming back, but at least he knew it wasn't because they'd secretly hated him just like everyone else had at the time. "I miss him." He said quietly, and sombre looks flashed on everyone's faces.

"He was like, so fun to hang out with. Any time we pranked him, he laughed and asked if he could help us with more pranks." Tuffnut stated, Ruffnut nodding along.

"And he called me pretty. Like, I know I am, but it's nice to hear it from someone else, y'know?" She made eye contact with Astrid, who shrugged.

"We didn't always get along until after everything with the Red Death, but he was really fun to talk to afterwards. Plus, his paintings were… amazing." Hiccup looked down into his cup, biting his lip in his efforts not to smile. Astrid seemed to interpret it as the opposite, however, as she squeezed his arm.

"He was like, my equal. I could lose to him, and it would be fine, because he'd say I could get him back next time. And I did. And he didn't care." Snotlout had a distant look in his eyes, which was surprising to all of them.

"We never really hung out until after the… the Red Death, but I just remember… The day Hiccup had to go against Hookfang in the ring, he just sat with me and played his flute. It was really… calming. He's always been happy to talk about dragons with me, even though other people would get bored after a while." Hiccup heard the doors to the hall open, and he was sure Aran had just walked in, especially judging how Fishlegs's eyes widened in front of him.

"Ever since he came to Berk, Aran's always been there for me, even before everything with Toothless and the Red Death. I would trust him with… anything, honestly. He's such a great guy, and he's nice to everyone unless they give him a reason not to be. If he was standing right behind me, I'd tell him that he's my best friend after Toothless, but he's still an asshole for leaving us for three years."

"Oi!" Aran's voice came from behind him, just as he'd expected, and Hiccup began laughing, his friends just staring in shock. "And here I thought you were giving a nice speech about how wonderful I am."

They shoved his head, and he laughed more. Everyone at the table got up to greet them in varying manners. Some hugged them, like Ruffnut and Fishlegs, while others punched them in the arm, like Ruffnut and Snotlout. Tuffnut smacked them on the back, and Astrid elbowed them in the ribs. After complaining about abuse, Astrid let out a laugh and gave them a quick side hug. They made room for them to sit at the table, and they found themself situated between Hiccup and Astrid. When they questioned her as to why she would rather sit next to them than her boyfriend, Astrid just shrugged. The group caught up with Aran and time seemed to fly by. It was rather late by the time they thought to ask a certain question.

"So if all of you are out and about at Dragon's Edge all the time, does that mean I don't get to see you around town?" None of them had even thought about that.

"You could stay with m- us at the Edge, if you want." Hiccup could feel his pulse quicken, having almost said 'me' instead of 'us.'

"But we don't have a hut for them." Stated Fishlegs, ever the voice of reason.

"We could bring a bed into Hiccup's room." Astrid shot Hiccup a sly look, and he glared at her, hoping he wasn't blushing.

"I-I don't know guys, you've been training to actually fight for three years, and I can't do much but glide, if I'm being honest. Maybe I'd be better off-"

"Well, we can teach you the basics. I can help with combat training, Hiccup and Fishlegs can help with strategy and dragon knowledge." Aran blinked, looking at the group.

"Of course, it won't be enough to bring you up to the experience level we're at, but we could have you stationed to protect the Edge just in case. It could help to have someone there at all times." Fishlegs thought aloud.

"Umm, why can't **I** help with combat training?" Snotlout asked, clearly offended.

" _Well, clearly you're not skilled enough for me._ " Aran spoke in Irish, intending for only Hiccup to hear and understand, but they saw Astrid smirk.

" _He is not_." The blonde girl responded to them in simple Irish, her words heavily accented, and Aran looked at her in surprise before turning to Hiccup.

"I might have taught her some Irish. To talk about… romance."

"Oh, so you guys flirt in Irish?" Aran laughed. "That's… kind of weird. Because you're not Irish." Their laugh died down, replaced by a look of confusion. Astrid snickered, and she seemed to be sending Hiccup teasing looks that Aran didn't understand.

"No, it's- it's something else entirely that I really want to get into." Hiccup grumbled. "I agree with Fishlegs, having someone at the Edge when we're off on missions would be extremely helpful. It shouldn't take too long to get you up to speed if we spend our free time teaching you." Aran smiled at him, and he had to avert his gaze. He'd forgotten how it felt to be around them, and it was a little overwhelming.

"And I'd just stay in your room? It sounds like everyone has a hut of their own."

"I mean, we **could** squeeze another one in somewhere, but Hiccup has enough room and it'd take time away from training you." Astrid argued, and Hiccup glared at her. She only sent him an amused glance. "I guess after we think you're up for defending the Edge, we could think about building a hut for you, but in the meantime I think it'd be best to put it off." Aran shrugged, thinking it sounded fine.

"Just don't tell the Chief. He'll think I'm trying to bewitch his son with my sinful ways." They laughed, distantly recalling when they'd said nearly the exact same thing when they first arrived in Berk five years ago. That was a long time ago, they realized. Hiccup blinked.

"Wait, is that what you said to me when my dad kicked you out of our house?"

"My exact words were: _He thinks I'm going to bewitch you with my sinful ways?_ " Hiccup groaned. He supposed his father's efforts were in vain, because he'd gone and gotten himself bewitched anyways.

"You know, maybe the rest of us should learn Irish." Ruffnut stated. "It'd be like, our own secret language."

"That's actually a great idea! Aran?" Aran blinked at Fishlegs's eager face.

"Oh, umm… sure?" Hiccup frowned. "Sorry Hiccup. Looks like we'll have to learn English or something if we want to keep having a secret secret language."

"Yeah…" The two of them exchanged a look that showed that Hiccup had some sort of problem with the situation and wanted to discuss his insecurities in private later.

"Sis, we have to show Aran-" Ruffnut gasped.

"The boar pit." She finished.

"That sounds like… something." Aran smiled. "Oh, I hope you don't mind, but there's been this spinetail and salamander who've been following me around, so they'll probably follow me to the Edge." They received strange looks.

"Aran renamed all the dragon species we ride except for the gronckle and the night fury." Hiccup explained.

"Actually, I renamed the night fury too." Hiccup squinted at them. "What? Toothless isn't an angry boy. I think night striker is a good name." He rolled his eyes.

"Care to share the names?" Hiccup asked.

"Okay! Well, the deadly nadder is the tropical spinetail. Monstrous nightmares are blazing salamanders. Hideous zipplebacks are twin tricksters. Oh, and I also renamed terrible terrors to mischievous bravesnouts." They received amused chuckles.

"So basically, a nadder and a nightmare are going to be following us to the Edge?" Astrid questioned, and Aran nodded. "What's the nadder like?"

"Yeah, and is the nightmare anywhere near Hookfang's level? 'Cuz I doubt it."

The group then began to talk about Corcra and Mathilda. Snotlout didn't know whether to feel glad that Mathilda had nothing on Hookfang's battle prowess, or frustrated that this other nightmare, his prefered species of dragon, was terrible at fighting. Astrid had just groaned at the revelation that the other Corcra was vain and overconfident, but it soothed her slightly to discover that he was quite a good shot, even if he was lousy at close combat. After a while, Aran realized they should probably talk to the Chief at some point. Hiccup nodded, agreeing with them and saying he would go with them to speak with his dad. He had to bring up the topic of them going to Dragon's Edge as well, after all.

"Dad!"

"Chief!" The two of them called out at the same time upon seeing Stoick.

"Hiccup? Aran?" He did a double take. " **Aran?** "

"Hello, it's me." They smiled pleasantly.

"We thought you were dead." He frowned. "We had a funeral for you."

"And here I was hoping we could pretend that never happened." Hiccup grumbled as his friend blinked.

"I hope it was fancy." They joked. "I'm sorry for causing so much worry, I just got held up back at home. Everyone is alive." Aran let a soft smile make its way onto their face.

"Well, you're welcome back here." Stoick informed them. "Your house should still be standing.

"Oh, I…" Aran looked at Hiccup, who nodded, clearing his throat.

"We were actually wondering if Aran could come with us to Dragon's Edge. He's not trained to go on missions with us, but we were thinking we could teach him enough to be able to hold his on and defend the Edge when we're out." Stoick nodded, listening patiently. "We don't have enough huts, but we'll work on building one right away, and he can stay with… Snotlout or Fishlegs for now." Aran blinked. They understood why he felt the need to lie, but it was still a bit strange to hear him lie convincingly.

"Well, it seems you've thought this through." Stoick smiled, his face filled with pride as he clapped a hand down on his son's shoulder. "It's nice to have you back, Aran. I hope you take care to not disappear for that long again. People were worried about you." They nodded.

"Well, it's good to be back." Hiccup pulled them back to the table, where he decided to speak.

"Dad said yes. Instead of leaving for the Edge tomorrow, I'm going to go the day after, to make sure Aran's taken care of everything here on Berk before we leave. You're free to go back earlier if you want."

"Except you shouldn't, because tomorrow night we should all celebrate and get drunk off our asses because the best Irishperson this town has ever seen has returned." Aran added, and Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"I bet I can get drunker than you." Tuffnut shot at his sister before pausing. "Wait…" Ruffnut snorted.

"I bet I can drink more than you and get less drunk." The two began to squabble, and were quickly ignored.

"I have killer alcohol tolerance." Aran claimed.

"But… we've never seen you drink." Fishlegs pointed out. Aran waved him off.

"Uhh, yeah? If I had gotten drunk and told you guys about Méaróg, what would have happened then? Sorry, but unlike some people-" They shot a pointed look at the twins. "I **like** having my sibling alive." Hiccup noted the usage of the word sibling as opposed to brother. He'd never noticed Aran switching between referring to the dragon in varying shades of neutrality and masculinity, but now he doubted he'd ever be able to stop. They'd also said Irishperson as opposed to Irishman. A part of him wondered if he should have called them 'they' while speaking earlier.

"I could totally drink you under the table." Snotlout pointed a finger at them, and they only laughed.

"Good _fucking_ luck, béalsnot."

"What does that mean?" Snotlout shot a look at Astrid, who could only shrug, before looking at his cousin.

"They said fucking." Aran's head whipped to face Hiccup at the pronoun usage, and upon making eye contact, he put a questioning look on his face, silently asking if he had guessed correctly. Aran noticeably blushed, beaming at him, and Hiccup felt his heartbeat speed up. It was precious, how the simple word choice made such a difference in their demeanor. The moment was quickly interrupted, but it had happened nonetheless, and Hiccup was happy to have made Aran smile in such unbridled joy. It looked as if they were holding themself back from pulling him into the tightest hug of his life.

"Oh. Well, I don't need your 'good _fucking_ luck' because Jorgensons are pro drinkers." Aran raised their thick brows in amusement. "What?"

"You have a better accent than Astrid." Before Astrid could take proper offense and Snotlout could be prideful, they continued. "Anyways, I doubt it. I haven't gone three days without drinking since I went to Ireland. I bet I could drink as much as the Chief." Hiccup looked down at Aran with wide eyes.

"Aran, my dad is huge." They simply shot him a confident smirk.

"I could do it!" They insisted.

"Yeah, if you have a death wish." Astrid rolled her eyes, Fishlegs nodding in agreement with her.

"Our uncle died because he drank a barrel of mead." Tuffnut commented out of nowhere. Apparently he was done fighting Ruffnut, though the victor was unclear.

"Our uncle also threw himself off a cliff." Ruffnut added.

"Well, I believe in myself and my ability to not throw myself off a cliff." Aran stated confidently. Hiccup had always admired how they did everything with confidence, even if it was as ridiculous as claiming they could drink as much as his father without throwing themself off a cliff.

"I'm sure you could do it." He rolled his eyes, and Aran pretended they didn't register the sarcasm in his voice.

"Why thank you, Hiccup. This is why you're my favorite Hooligan." They poked his cheek, and Ruffnut whined.

"I thought **I** was your favorite Hooligan!"

"No, it was me!" Tuffnut argued, and Aran giggled.

"You guys are **all** my favorite Hooligans."

And that was the truth. If they were being honest, they would say they were their favorite people overall, excluding their parents. Sure, Finn was their best friend back in Ireland, but they would rather hang out with their Hooligan friends any day. They would get into mischief with the twins, learn about dragons with Fishlegs, engage in ridiculous competitions with Snotlout, and all sorts of things. The vikings were a riot to be around, and they couldn't believe they'd put off going back to Berk for such a long time. It was good to be back.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,173**_

 **Aran wasn't supposed to come out to Hiccup until after they got together but I guess that. That's not what happened. Sometimes stuff gets away from me haha. I also wasn't planning on anyone actually using gender neutral terms for Aran when they're feeling more neutral but Hiccup is just SUCH A GOOD PERSON?**

 **Anyways, I don't know if you care about the timeline, but Aran basically came back right after 'A Time to Skrill' which is Episode 11 of Season 2 of Race to the Edge, and right before the 2 part episode 'Maces and Talons' that marks the season finale. I'm going to be skipping around and covering episodes I think would be fun to add Aran to, along with adding my own shenanigans. Corcra and Mathilda will be relevant characters, and I will be dedicating some parts to funny dragon interactions. Hope you enjoy!**

 **I'm going to start the next chapter very soon, but I don't know if it'll be out tonight because well it's already 4pm here and my chapters sometimes take forever to write**

 **As always, thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time!**


	20. Alcohol is a Bad Idea

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Man, as much as I love catching up with you guys-" Aran yawned. "I'm dead tired." It was late. "I think I'll head home for the night." They stood from the table, gathering everyone's bare plates.

"Oh, I, umm, I'll walk you home." Hiccup stood as well, and if there was a hint of nervousness in his voice, they didn't notice it. "Here, let me help with those." He took half of the pile, and Aran nodded in thanks.

"Be safe!" Astrid called out to them as they left, and Hiccup shot a glare to meet her teasing look.

The two of them walked side by side, Aran occasionally pointing out some new feature that had sprung up in their three years of absence. If it needed explaining, Hiccup would do so, but otherwise he just listened to them talk, a soft smile on his face. Their dragons had disappeared somewhere together in the hours they'd spent in the great hall, and Hiccup was sure they were off causing mischief somewhere. Aran shivered, due to their lack of jacket, and Hiccup found himself wishing he had something to give them. In the past, he would have offered his vest to wear, but now he didn't have anything for them. When the two of them reached their old house, Aran invited him inside, and he accepted the offer. It was interesting to be there, and strange for there not to be a fire crackling. They knelt down, quickly lighting the fire before heading to their room to set down their bag they'd brought with them. Hiccup was sitting on their couch when they returned.

" _What's on your mind, Hiccup?_ " They asked as they went to the kitchen.

" _I don't know, I was just thinking about… the others learning Irish. It just kind of feels like_ _ **our**_ _thing._ " Hiccup made sure not to mumble, so Aran could hear him. He thought he heard them lighting another fire in the kitchen.

" _You taught Astrid._ " They had a point there.

" _That's different._ " It wasn't as if he could just tell Aran he only taught Astrid Irish so he could talk about his feelings for them without fear of someone overhearing him. He could try a half-truth though. " _I-I taught her because I wanted to talk about you without letting anyone else know how much it hurt that you were gone._ " His voice was a little quiet, but he was sure Aran heard him.

" _I'm sorry, Hiccup._ " They returned from the kitchen, sitting next to him. " _I shouldn't have abandoned you like that. Everyone thought I was dead, and that must have been awful._ " Hiccup nodded.

" _I didn't think you were dead. I was convinced that you'd just been pretending to enjoy my company the whole time and finally took the chance to leave Berk forever._ "

" _Hic-_ "

" _I know, I know, you're not like that. It was stupid. I was just being stupid. It's… it's good to have you back._ " Aran smiled, pulling him into a hug.

" _I said it before but really, it's good to_ _ **be**_ _back._ " There was a sudden whistling, and Aran pulled away, getting up. They returned momentarily, two mugs of tea in hand. " _I don't know if you like anything in your tea. I usually dump honey in mine._ " Aran lifted the mug in their right hand as they handed the other to Hiccup. " _I can go get some if you'd like._ " He shook his head.

" _It's fine, I don't mind it being plain._ " The two of them sat in a pleasant quiet, only interrupted by the crackling of the fire. " _Hey, back in the great hall, I… I don't know if I said the right thing._ " Aran's brows furrowed, thinking back to what he could be talking about. " _I-I mean, your reaction seemed positive, but…_ " Their mouth formed a small 'o' as they realized what he meant.

" _Yeah, it was nice- wonderful even. I could have kissed you._ " Hiccup's cheeks flushed as a grin crept onto Aran's face. " _Of course, I didn't. You're my best friend and you have a girlfriend, so if I had done anything it would have been the tightest hug of your life._ " They shrugged. " _Really though, it was great. I don't think anyone has ever really tried to refer to me as anything but male, not even my parents._ " Hiccup smiled softly, not missing the blush that made its way onto their cheeks. The smile on their face was so pure and joyful that it made Hiccup want to keep it there forever and wrap them up in his arms.

" _So, five years ago I met this person who I'd say is my best friend after Toothless,_ " Aran blinked at him in confusion. " _But sometimes they're kind of an asshole. They tease me all the time, and then they tell me they'll be gone for a month before disappearing for three years._ " Aran covered their face, blushing a dark red and unable to keep the huge grin away.

" _Hiccup, stop it!_ " They laughed, shoving him.

" _Sometimes they get this dopey grin on their face if you say the right thing,_ " Aran screamed very quietly, and Hiccup couldn't stop a grin from making its way onto his own face. " _And it's really satisfying to make them smile like that._ "

" _Oh my god, get out of my house!_ " The Irishperson kicked him lightly, unable to stop the laughter bubbling from their chest.

" _Oh, and I forgot to mention they resort to violence when you make them too happy, so maybe that's a downside to being friends with them._ "

" _ **Hiccup!**_ " The two of them were shaking with laughter, and Aran's face was dark red. " _God, I don't know how I'm going to survive hanging out with you anymore if you're going to do that kind of thing._ "

" _I like making you smile._ " Hiccup said before he could stop himself, and immediately regretted it. Aran only smiled more, looking away from him.

" _You should head home. If you think I'm going to let you skip out on tomorrow night, you're sorely mistaken!_ " They shoved his arm, and he got up, both of them laughing.

" _I swear, if you drink as much as my dad, I'll cut off my other foot._ " Hiccup grumbled as Aran walked him to the door, chuckling.

" _I don't think your girlfriend would appreciate that._ " They sent him an amused smile. " _Sorry about the Irish thing. I think everyone agrees it'd be a good idea have a secret language, and Irish is really the best option because some of us already know it._ " Hiccup nodded.

" _It's fine. It's not like we really… need it anymore._ "

" _Yeah… Goodnight, Hiccup._ "

" _Goodnight, Aran._ "

The two of them lingered in the doorway longer than was necessary, simply looking into each other's eyes. Hiccup licked his lips, and he didn't miss the way Aran's brown eyes flicked down to them when he did so. It seemed obvious to the viking that there was something between them that neither could act on. There was nothing physically stopping him from leaning down and kissing the other, but mentally was a whole other story. From what little Aran had told him about their taste in men, he seemed to fit the bill, and he hadn't missed the increase of flirtatious comments from the other. Hiccup was sure that, if he **did** kiss them, it wouldn't ruin his friendship, and he had a pretty good chance of the kiss being reciprocated, but… He couldn't. The two of them couldn't be together.

Hiccup was to be the Chief one day, and expected to have children to continue the bloodline. Of course, as he'd discovered earlier that day, Aran could bear children, but he wasn't about to ask them to tell everyone the secret it'd taken them five years to tell him, and he didn't even know if they would be comfortable having children anyways. He didn't even know how the village would react to Aran, and if they did know, how would they view them, or a relationship between the two of them? One one hand, they could be as accepting of both Aran and the relationship as Hiccup was, but he highly doubted that the favorable outcome would be the most likely. On another, they could refuse to accept Aran for what they were and start insisting that they were a girl and therefore be fine with the relationship, but Aran would undoubtedly be extremely uncomfortable. Another outcome would be for them not to believe the claim that Aran could bear children, and their relationship would have one of them viewed as weak for being submissive. He was sure there were other possibilities, but all of them were negative, so he didn't even want to think of them. There was also the thought that even if the village accepted them, they wouldn't be able to have a relationship because they were a foreigner.

"Umm, goodnight." Aran repeated, briefly hugging him, pulling back and closing the door before he could react.

"... Goodnight."

Aran collapsed onto their bed as soon as they reached it, almost forgetting to take their boots off. Their thoughts were filled with Hiccup's conflicted face as he looked down at them in the door. If they had leaned closer, Aran knew they could have kissed him, but they didn't want to ruin his relationship with Astrid. Besides, as far as they knew, Hiccup was only attracted to girls. They didn't know how wrong that was, but it was what they assumed from his relationship status. Aran had also learned all about the viking view of homosexuality while living with Gobber, and they doubted Hiccup would want to deal with that. Plus, there was the whole him being the future chief thing. Aran really just picked the worse people to find attractive, didn't they? Maybe they would date Ruffnut. Ruffnut was cute. Not that they **had** to date anyone.

They weren't sure when they fell asleep, but they knew their dreams had been pleasant in some way, because they woke feeling rather light. Maybe it was because Hiccup had gone out of his way to use neutral pronouns for them the night before. Méaróg shouted somewhere outside, and Aran quickly got up, stretching as they made sure they looked presentable, slipped their jacket on, grabbed an apple, and left the house. The pink dragon seemed to be wrestling with Toothless, and Aran raised a thick brow in amusement. Glancing around, they noted that Hiccup was nowhere to be seen. They bit into their apple as they began the walk to town, leaving the two dragons to their fun. Méaróg and Toothless seemed to get along fantastically, which Aran was happy for.

Not really looking for anyone or thing in particular, they wandered until several children tugged slightly at their kilt, insisting that they play dramatic music for whatever game they were playing. They didn't have the heart to say they didn't think tin whistles could produce dramatic music, so they tried their best. The kids didn't seem to mind when their tunes turned to more upbeat and energetic tones, and instead began running around and laughing as they showed off terrible dance moves that made no sense whatsoever. After a while, the children dispersed, and Aran continued to wander, tin whistle in hand as they absentmindedly played jaunty Irish tunes. Many of the villagers greeted them with smiles and laughter, and by midday they supposed they'd gone to everyone in town and convinced them they weren't dead. Having only had an apple for breakfast, they stopped by Meade Hall, where they secured a plate of bread and chicken before plopping down at a random table. Snotlout joined them after a bit.

"Oh hey, where are the twins?" Aran asked pleasantly. Snotlout shrugged.

"Probably tipping yaks or something." He bit into a large bit of chicken. "Why?"

"No reason, really." They laughed. "What happened to the merfolk paintings I did of everyone, by the way? I may have to redo Hiccup's. He looks completely different. Astrid also changed how she wears her hair."

"Well, I hung mine in my room at the Edge. I look at it when I workout, because you totally didn't draw my muscles big enough, and I know I look better than that drawing." Aran snorted.

"Oh please, I could still beat you in an arm wrestling match."

"You wrestle bears!" Snotlout shouted.

"Actually, I wrestle with Méaróg. They've been wrestling other dragons as of late, though, so I might be a little flabby." Aran sighed. "Did Astrid keep hers? I was especially proud of hers." The shorter male nodded.

"I'm pretty sure she hung it up by her bed. The twins gave theirs to their mom who hung them side by side in their living room, and Fish has his in his weird meditation hut." Aran nodded.

"What about Hiccup?" He shrugged.

"I dunno, it's not in his room. Maybe he's afraid of his dad coming in and calling him a rassragr 'cuz you made him so girly." They frowned at the usage of the word, wondering if Snotlout would ever actually call anyone that. Hopefully he wouldn't.

"Oops. I'll ask him if he'll let me redo it." It touched Aran's heart that all of their friends had their art hung somewhere, so they felt a little bad that Hiccup was uncomfortable hanging his up. "How've things been with your dad?"

"Things're fine. Why wouldn't they be?" Snotlout shot them an accusatory look, and they raised their hands in a way that showed they meant no offense.

"I was just wondering."

Clearly having soured the mood, they fell into an odd sort of quiet. Aran and Snotlout never talked about his dad before, so they weren't sure why they'd brought him up in the first place. It wasn't hard to see that Snotlout had some insecurities and anxieties due to his father's high expectations of him to bring honor to the Jorgenson name, but of course he was too prideful to talk about his problems, so he just bottled his self doubt with overwhelming narcissism. Aran worried about him sometimes. Maybe that was why they felt obligated to let him win some competitions sometimes. Sure, it was true that he won around half of the competitions on his own anyways, but sometimes they couldn't bring themself to win when they would have otherwise. After a few tense moments, Aran changed the subject, asking how he felt about Astrid dating Hiccup. Snotlout grumbled, and Aran humored him as he ranted about the situation. It was pretty funny, Aran decided.

After finishing their lunch, Aran suggested for them to go swimming, and the two of them proceeded to have competitions of various things. Their favorite was the competition to make the biggest splash, because even though Snotlout won by a longshot, it was loads of fun. The twins joined them, and somehow the group wound up with the twins on their shoulders as they attacked each other with sticks. Ruffnut and Aran won when Tuffnut fell off of Snotlout's shoulders, and Snotlout protested that they cheated. Loud arguments broke out and turned into a splash war, and everyone was tired after a couple hours in the water.

Aran split from the twins and Snotlout as they spotted Fishlegs and Astrid sitting quietly on a cliff. They approached the two and sat down, noticing that their eyes were closed and they weren't making a sound. Not sure what else to do, they started sketching the two of them, as it was the golden hour and the light reflected off their blonde hair beautifully. After a while, Astrid peeked an eye open, lips quirking into an amused smile as they shot her a questioning look. She brought a finger to her lips as she nodded her head to Fishlegs, who still hadn't noticed their appearance. A few more minutes passed, and Fishlegs opened his eyes, startled to see Aran sitting there.

"We were meditating." Astrid explained pleasantly. She looked relaxed. "Fishlegs's idea." Fishlegs smiled.

"It's a wise idea to relax the body as well as the spirit." Aran laughed.

"I don't think I could do that if I tried." They ran a hand through their wet hair. "As you can probably see, I was just swimming with Snotlout and the twins." Astrid smirked.

"I couldn't tell."

"Well, if there's one thing you've picked up from Hiccup since you started dating, it was his sarcasm." Fishlegs laughed.

"I think **everyone** has started to pick that up. Except maybe the twins…" He mused. Aran shrugged.

"It's starting to get dark." They nodded to the sunset. "I dunno about you, but I'm ready to try and get drunk."

"I don't know about getting drunk, but it'd be nice to have some mead. We haven't had any since the **last** time we were on Berk." Fishlegs said as he stood, helping Aran up as Astrid had too much pride to accept his hand.

The three of them made their way towards the great hall, Astrid and Aran arguing over who would be able to drink more. Of course, Aran was confident in their abilities to drink and not get drunk, but so was Astrid. And so was Snotlout, as was evident when they bumped into him in the great hall. The twins, on the other hand, were confident that they could get drunk out of their minds. Fishlegs seemed content with not drinking more than he needed. Hiccup was the last to join the group, and seemed to share Fishlegs's sentiment. Ruffnut and Tuffnut thought he was boring. Snotlout called him weak, and Hiccup claimed that **someone** had to make sure the others didn't cause bodily harm to anyone but themselves. Despite their claims of being a master drinker, Aran sputtered the moment the mead entered their lips. They looked down at it in shock after spitting it out, confusion on their face.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" Aran received odd looks.

"It's mead?" Fishlegs supplied as he sipped his own mug.

"It's… sweet." None of the others seemed to understand the problem. "I've been drinking beer. This is nothing like beer. I wasn't ready." They blinked for a moment, not noticing Hiccup's amused smile as they smacked their lips. "I mean, it's not bad…"

"I'm gonna drink you under the table. Good _fucking_ luck." Snotlout jeered, and Aran glared at him.

"You're not allowed to say that with such a good accent, you _ass sucking child of Satan_." Aran deadpanned right before they downed their entire mug. Snotlout looked to Astrid and Hiccup desperately, but Astrid was at a loss, and Hiccup had covered his face and looked away with a snicker.

"Sorry, what?"

" _Go fuck a duck._ "

"You know Snotlout, I think it's best not to ask at this point." Hiccup managed to say through his laughter.

Obviously not one to be shown up, Snotlout had proceeded to down his mug as well, and soon they were in competition, Astrid joining them. Their cheeks were red with intoxication, and it was Snotlout who backed out first. Aran and Astrid were more stubborn, and never decided on the winner, as Aran had gotten distracted. They insisted it was much too hot in the hall, stripping their jacket and shirt off, leaving only their dark undershirt covering their torso. Hiccup drank more than he'd intended to as he tried to distract himself from their strong, freckled arms. The neck of the tank top dipped lower than the neck of their usual shirt, so more of their burn scar was visible than usual, and Hiccup almost got emotional thinking about how much it must have hurt to go through that pain. Almost. It was Snotlout's job to be the emotional drunk.

Astrid had only become more violent with the addition of alcohol, and the twins seemed to lose motor control, stumbling about and falling over despite not having been trying to go anywhere. Ruffnut smacked her brother in the head by accident, but his clumsiness caused his retaliation to hit an unsuspecting Fishlegs, who only sighed. He was the only one who wasn't drunk. Maybe slightly buzzed, but not drunk. Aran had taken to loudly singing old Irish tunes, not caring about quality. Their voice wasn't too bad despite this, but Hiccup had certainly heard better from them. Tuffnut's face smacked down on the table as he lamented that Chicken wasn't there with the group to enjoy the merriment. Snotlout had started crying over the beautiful relationship Tuff had with his chicken, while Ruff just groaned very loudly, for a very long time. Fishlegs had started to giggle at every little thing that anyone said, and Aran switched from loud singing to not quite as loud poetry. Astrid was repeatedly slamming her empty mug against Snotlout's helmet.

Hiccup sat there quietly, the alcohol making him feel nervous, but also convincing him that the only way to get rid of his nerves was to drink more. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, and he found himself getting more drunk than he'd anticipated. As the night wore on, he found his eyes constantly drawn to Aran, whether it be their beautiful brown eyes or the freckles that covered all of their skin, he found himself staring. Their face was red, and they wouldn't stop moving their lips, endless words streaming from their mouth, not speaking a word of Norse. If Hiccup was more sober, he probably would have noted that Aran shouldn't have worried about getting drunk with secrets to keep, as nobody could understand a word they were saying.

Hours later, they seemed to be having an intense discussion with Fishlegs, neither of them understanding each other, but both pretending to. Snotlout had passed out after crying about how Hookfang tries so hard to get a girlfriend, but all of the lady nightmares always reject him. Astrid had knocked both of the twins out before throwing her mug across the room and lying down on the bench she was situated on. It wasn't too long before Fishlegs started giggling, and Aran was then whining loudly, completely unintelligible as their Irish slurred together. Gobber seemed to be hanging around the group, though Hiccup hadn't noticed him until. He seemed to be keeping an eye out to make sure they didn't get into too much trouble.

"Heyyy, guys?" Hiccup finally spoke, leaning closer to the three who were still awake. Aran didn't shut up, so Astrid smacked her hand over their mouth. "Maybe we should like, go home?" He was kind of tired.

"This is my home." Astrid stated, flopping back down on her bench, and Hiccup decided to leave her be. Fishlegs giggled, saying nothing.

" _Hiccup!_ " Aran slumped against him. " _Did I ever tell you the story about the magpie and the fox?_ "

"No, I want to go to sleep." Hiccup grumbled.

" _Sleep sounds funnn, take me with you!_ " They whined, draping their arms around him and crawling into his lap, causing him to breathe in sharply. He stood up, and they fell to the floor.

"Astrid, Fishlegs, I'm going to take them home before their energy does any damage to the place." Aran's face split into a hug grin, and they shoved their face into his stomach area as they stood on their knees.

"Be safe." Astrid waved a lazy arm in the air before slamming it down on the table and kicking Snotlout's face. Snotlout groaned, but didn't move from his position on the ground.

"Have fun!" Fishlegs giggled, though Hiccup doubted he meant it in the way his mind jumped to.

"Come on, Aran, get up…" He grumbled, not wanting to carry them.

" _Only if you say please._ " Their voice was muffled by his stomach.

" _Please. Get up._ " Aran hopped to their feet.

" _Let's go sleep!_ " They shouted with the energy of someone who wasn't planning to sleep for at least six more hours. Hiccup dragged them out of the great hall after forcing them to put their shirt and jacket back on.

"Go drinking, they said. It'll be fun, they said. Note to self: Aran has terrible ide- what, are you, uhh, doing?"

Aran had pushed him up against a wall, and if Hiccup was sober, he would have had the thought that he was glad it was so late that nobody was out to see the compromising position they were in. Their chests were almost touching, and Aran's arms snaked around his neck. Brown eyes were half-lidded as they looked up at him, and their freckled cheeks flushed a dark red noticeable even in the dim light of the moon. They licked their full lips, and Hiccup thought, not for the first time, about how kissable they looked. Part of him tried to convince him that it was just the alcohol making them pin him to a wall and look at him like **that** , but somehow he knew it was more than that, and he absolutely dreaded the thought of having to reject them for his future chiefly duties. His hands moved to their hips without him thinking about it as he stared back at them, eyes likely filled with unspoken words.

" _I wasn't lying when I said I could kiss you last night._ " They murmured, hot breath brushing against his lips.

If Hiccup had thought he had a chance of resisting them, he was sorely mistaken, and he'd leaned down to kiss them before he could stop himself. They both tasted like mead, and the kiss was sloppy, messy, and desperate. Aran seemed intent on taking control of the kiss, and Hiccup was more than happy to let them explore every inch of his mouth. Their hands wound into his soft hair, not able to decide whether they wanted to tighten their grasp or brush through the soft locks. He pulled them closer, hands slipping under their jacket and rubbing up and down their strong back through two layers of fabric. One of their legs slid between his own, and Hiccup gasped into the kiss, breaking away with a start and putting his hands on their shoulders to hold them away slightly. They stared at each other, panting, before Hiccup looked away.

"Aran, we can't." He insisted as they tried to lean up to resume where they'd left off. "I-I'm the chief's son, and you- you're drunk, we're both drunk, and I'm- you- we can't, my- my dad and all the people in the village-" Hiccup stopped talking, Aran having leaned forward and rested their head heavily on his shoulder.

" _I'm gonna fall asleep._ " They mumbled, voice muffled against his shoulder. " _Carry me?_ " Aran almost whined, and Hiccup sighed.

After convincing them to climb on his back (he wasn't about to carry them bridal style), he walked to the Irishperson's house without saying a word. Aran fell asleep along the way, and Hiccup tucked them into their bed after removing their needless accessories. He left before they could trap him with their arms, heart hammering in his chest as he went to his own home. His dad was there, but he supposed that was no surprise, considering the late hour. The only interaction between the two of them was a quick goodnight, which Hiccup was thankful for. Stoick could probably tell he'd been drinking for the past several hours, so he assumed there was no point trying to talk to him. The last thought in his head as he collapsed on his bed was that he kind of wished that night (namely the kiss) hadn't happened. That way, it would have been much easier to push his own feelings aside and pretend there had been nothing more than friendship between them.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,626**_

 **This has been planned for a while :^) I have nothing more to say about this chapter, but tell me if I've made any mistakes.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it! See you next time!**


	21. Race to the Edge

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

The next day, Hiccup woke up to the sun streaming through his window and an awful headache. He was vaguely thankful that Toothless hadn't woken him up like he usually did, and his entire body hurt. After squeezing his eyes shut, he rolled over, face in his pillow as he tried (and failed) to go back to sleep. The only thing that got him out of bed was how dry his mouth felt, and he fell on the floor before he could even take three steps. Thankful that nobody was there to witness his clumsiness, he slowly got to his feet, using the wall as support as he squinted at his surroundings. He knew he was in his room, but his vision was blurry, and he felt dizzy. After standing there for a moment, he carefully made his way downstairs, where his father was (surprisingly) waiting for him. Stoick nodded at him, and he refrained from nodding back, providing only a halfhearted blink as he continued to use the wall for support.

"Hiccup." Hiccup grunted. "I see you're alive."

"Am I?" If he were more focused, he would have seen the hint of amusement in his father's eyes, but he wasn't, so he didn't.

"You were out late, last night." Hiccup slumped down in a chair at the dining table, and a cup full of water appeared, though he wasn't really paying attention to where it came from as he gulped it down. "Didn't take you for much of a drinker."

"'M not." Hiccup shrugged. He didn't want to admit that the reason he drank so much was because drinking gave him a self-contradictory anxiety that made him try to drink more to get rid of it. He'd have to watch himself better in the future. "Aran and Astrid probably have it worse."

"Well, I don't think you've ever had this much before, so I just wanted to remind you to drink lots of water and not push yourself." Hiccup glanced over at Stoick, seeing that he looked a bit awkward. He then noticed that bread and an apple were on the table in front of him, so he took a bite of the bread.

"Where's Toothless?" The younger viking asked with a yawn. He felt a little better.

"I had Skullcrusher keep him out so you could rest." Hiccup smiled, despite his throbbing head.

"Thanks, dad. Go ahead with your chiefing duties, I'll be fine." Stoick made to leave, but hesitated.

"You're sure?" Hiccup nodded.

"Go on, thanks for… breakfast." It was just bread and an apple, but he appreciated it all the same. "I'll probably be heading back towards the Edge before you see me again."

There was an awkward pause between them, and Hiccup raised his eyebrows with an expectant smile before his father finally left. As much as he appreciated his father's efforts to mend the tattered remains of their relationship, the two of them weren't ones for casual conversation. After finishing his measly breakfast and getting more water, Hiccup stretched, heading out for some fresh air. He very narrowly avoided getting tackled by Toothless, letting out a tired laugh when the black dragon sailed past him due to a well timed sidestep.

"Sorry, bud. I'm taking it easy today." He said as he knelt down and gave Toothless the belly scratch of a lifetime.

His affectionate motions slowed as he recalled what happened last night. Well, now he couldn't say he was unsure if Aran returned his attraction. Hiccup's cheeks flushed slightly just thinking back on the rather intense kiss the two of them shared, feeling ashamed for being the one who'd instigated it. If he'd just had a little less to drink, he would have been able to push them away and he wouldn't be thinking about it. Toothless seemed to notice that he was deep in thought, and nudged his face against him, bringing him out of his mind and into the real world. Hiccup smiled at the dragon, giving him one last affectionate scratch before standing up and making his way towards Meade Hall.

It seemed most of the group was already there, save for a certain redhead. Hiccup was thankful for this as he sat next to Astrid, who immediately leaned against him, wrapping an arm around his waist. None of them spoke for a while as they ate their late breakfast. They all shared a mutual understanding of each other's suffering, and refrained from making any loud noises. Even after finishing their food, Fishlegs taking it upon himself to clean up, none of them moved from their spots around the table. After a while, Hiccup felt the need to ask something.

"Did all of you just sleep in here?"

"Just the twins and Snotlout." Astrid shrugged. "Fish and I headed home after you and Aran did." Hiccup tensed at the mention of Aran's name, something that did not go unnoticed by his girlfriend. " _Did something happen?_ " She asked, heavily accented Irish spilling from her mouth somewhat uncomfortably. Sure, she could speak the language, but it still felt strange on her tongue even after speaking it for two years.

" _Oh, gods…_ " Hiccup rubbed a hand on his face. " _Aran… they… we kissed._ " It practically came out as a mumble, and Astrid asked him to repeat himself, as her Irish wasn't quite good enough to decipher it through the mumbling. " _Aran and I… kissed. Well, we kind of made out._ "

"You did **what?** " Astrid's voice came out louder than she intended, and Hiccup winced. Her eyebrows practically disappeared into her hairline in a fraction of a second, and he felt his cheeks heat up. "Wait, so… _you made out last night._ " Hiccup nodded in confirmation. " _Who started it?_ " He groaned.

" _I did… But that was after they pinned me to a wall and…_ " Hiccup made a very confused motion with his hands that didn't mean anything to either of them. Astrid blinked at him.

" _So, I'm sort of following you. He- they?_ " It seemed she'd just noticed his pronoun usage, and he paused. Would Aran want him to tell her? He wasn't sure…

" _Oh, that, right, umm…_ " He paused for a moment. " _I don't know if they'd want me to tell you about that part._ " Astrid waved it off, saying it wasn't important.

" _So basically what you're saying is he-_ " She frowned. " _Should I be saying 'they' instead?_ " So maybe it **was** kind of important. Hiccup only shrugged, causing her to roll her eyes. "You know, Hic, you're really not helpful sometimes. _They pinned you to a wall and made themself irresistible, is what you're saying?_ "

" _Yeah. The night they came back, they said they could kiss me because of something I said._ " His green eyes flicked to Astrid's blue ones to see if she was going to ask him to elaborate, but she only nodded in a silent request for him to continue. " _They said they wouldn't, because I told them we,_ " Hiccup gestured to the two of them. " _Were dating, and they have a strict 'no cheating' policy._ " Astrid groaned.

" _Of_ _ **course**_ _us dating got in the way._ " He glared at her half heartedly.

" _You know, that and the fact that I'm the chief's son and need to produce an heir. We can't just have a_ rassragr _as the Chief._ " Astrid punched him in the arm, and despite her weakened state, Hiccup still winced.

" _Don't call yourself that._ " Hiccup sighed before something occurred to him. Could either of them be called that if there was only one dick involved? His cheeks flushed and he hurried to bring the conversation back to its original course.

" _Anyways, when they pinned me to the wall they said they weren't lying when they said they could kiss me, and I mean, we were both more than a little drunk, so…_ " Astrid hummed.

" _So what's the problem? You obviously both like each other- unless you're going to try and convince the two of us that it was just the alcohol that made them act like that._ " Hiccup shook his head.

" _Come on, this isn't some badly written romance novel. They made it pretty easy to tell that they like me before they even touched the mead. I was just hoping we could ignore that._ " He grumbled, glancing at the rest of the group. The twins seemed to be half-heartedly punching each other while Snotlout kept his face in the table. Fishlegs was lazily flipping through his dragon cards, likely not really seeing what was on them.

" _Well, I say you should just get together._ " Astrid shrugged, and Hiccup glared at her. "What?"

" _We have gone over this_ _ **so**_ _many times, I can't believe you would say that._ " The blonde girl rolled her eyes.

" _Yeah, yeah, I know, son of the chief, need to have a kid, can't be with a guy, especially because you're the son of the chief, blah blah blah. That doesn't mean you can't be together in secret._ " Hiccup glared at her. " _Don't give me that look. This is where I stand on the issue. Honestly, you should be happy to have such a supportive girlfriend._ " Astrid stuck her tongue out at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, hardy har har. _Why don't you just ask Heather out, in that case?_ " She nearly fell off the bench his words, eyes going wide before narrowing dangerously.

"Well, maybe I will, and when I do, you'll have no excuse to get me off of your case." Hiccup hoped that didn't happen anytime soon. "How did you even know?"

"Please, it's not that hard to tell if you know what to look for. _I know your type. Aren't you happy to have such a supportive boyfriend?_ " He teased, and Astrid crossed her arms, glaring at him.

"I want a divorce." Hiccup started laughing, and Astrid couldn't help but join in.

"What are we laughing about?" Came the heavily accented voice of Aran, and Hiccup's breath hitched in his throat. Astrid gave him a pointed look, and Hiccup avoided her gaze, cheeks flushing red.

"Hiccup and I are getting a divorce." Astrid stated, sipping water from her cup. Aran raised a brow.

"Wow, I didn't know you two were engaged." Hiccup noticed that the red hair was tied up with a leather strap, and the kilt had been replaced with pants. "So, when are we leaving for Dragon's Edge?" Brown eyes met green, and Hiccup wondered if they were trying to tell him something. "Méaróg is itching to stretch his wings." Ah, so Aran had switched pronouns. He also didn't seem to be awkward in any way despite what had happened last night, and Hiccup wondered if he even remembered what had happened.

"Well, I guess that all depends on when everyone feels up to flying again. I'm ready, but I don't know about you guys." He glanced at the group. Fishlegs gave a smile and a thumbs up, Astrid nodding as well. The twins grinned as their punches grew less feeble, but Snotlout didn't move his face from the table. "Snotlout?"

"Come on, Snotboy, we'll leave you behind." Snotlout peeled his face from the wood, glaring at Aran.

"That's Snot **man** to you, thanks." He stood, and Aran laughed.

"Oh please, all of you are babies to me." Hiccup frowned. "Well… I guess Hiccup isn't a baby because he's like half a foot taller than me, and Astrid's got _pretty nice tits._ " Aran had taken a gamble, which had thankfully paid off as it seemed the blonde girl didn't know the word for tits. Hiccup gawked at him.

"Wh- Aran that's my-" He didn't finished that sentence, and Aran snickered.

"But you agree, don't you?" Hiccup just huffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I've got what?" Aran smiled innocently.

"Pretty nice wits." He lied and Astrid fixed him with a look of skepticism.

"Uh-huh." She said flatly.

"Well, I think it's a pretty good time to saddle up and head to the Edge. It's going to take us at least thirty-four hours, so the sooner we get going the better. If we take too long, Viggo or Ryker might pull something."

That seemed to be enough to rouse the group from their lounging, thankfully, and they all went to find their dragons. Toothless had followed him to the great hall, so Hiccup wasn't surprised to see the scaly beast lounging about in the grass outside. It was with great amusement that he noticed Toothless had the remnants of a fish tail plastered above his right eye. While Toothless wasn't the messiest eater, he certainly wasn't the neatest either. Hiccup crouched down beside his big black head and peeled the fish tail off, causing bright green eyes to snap open. He laughed as Toothless opened his mouth, and he dropped the fish tail to its doom. Toothless licked his lips happily before getting up, wiggling his own tail about.

"Come on bud, let's go wait for the others." The two of them went to the designated meeting place, and it didn't take too long for everyone else to join them, along with a purple nadder and a blue and yellow nightmare. Aran informed him that these were Corcra and Mathilda. "You all ready?"

He received confirmations of various energy from the others, and soon they were in the sky. It was quiet for the first few hours, and he noted that Fishlegs seemed to have brought some light reading along. Hiccup sighed, sort of wishing he'd done the same, but he supposed it was fine. He had his sketchbook with him, and it seemed Aran had his as well. Snotlout looked to be on the verge of falling asleep, while the twins began to bicker as usual. Astrid was the only one completely focused as she flew ahead. Sighing, Hiccup decided to lose himself in his art. Over the three years Aran had been gone, he'd made an attempt to go a more artistic route with his, well, art, and it seemed to pay off, if the many sketches he now had of Toothless meant anything. Toothless wasn't the only thing he'd drawn of course (he'd drawn other dragons, but not much of anything else, he had to admit), but he was the most frequent subject of his art.

" _Hey, Hiccup!_ " Aran called to him, and as he looked up from his sketch of Stormfly (Astrid had been flying directly in front of him), he noticed that Aran and Méaróg were flying beside him. " _Why does Astrid keep giving me weird looks?_ "

" _I don't know, maybe it's because you said she had nice tits._ " Hiccup answered flatly. Aran looked embarrassed.

" _Are you angry about that?_ " He rolled his eyes.

" _Only because you got away with it. I don't really care what you think of her._ " That was a half truth. She was one of his closest friends, so he would like the two of them to get along, but beyond that he wasn't too concerned. They seemed to enjoy each other's company anyways, and he doubted Aran's attraction would progress past the passing comment that she was cute. And Hiccup had to agree that yes, Astrid was quite attractive even if he wasn't attracted to her.

" _You sure?_ " Hiccup nodded. " _Okay. Well, I don't think that's it, because I know she didn't understand me._ " Of course Hiccup knew the reason behind her weird looks was because Aran and Hiccup had kind of sort of sucked face the previous night, but Hiccup still wasn't sure if Aran even remembered it happening.

" _What do you remember of last night?_ "

" _Not much, everything is kind of hazy. I feel like I did something really significant, and I'm expecting someone to tell me if I did, but nobody's said anything, so for now I can only assume everything is fine._ " Aran shrugged, and Hiccup felt some tension leave him. " _Why?_ "

"No reason. Just curious." If Aran didn't remember anything, Hiccup could just go on pretending nothing happened. Everything would be fine.

"No, I'm gonna get there first!" Hiccup's ears zoned in on what seemed to be the middle of an argument with the twins.

"Nuh-uh. Belch is way faster, you're gonna eat our dust." Tuffnut tried to urge Belch to go faster than Barf, but Barf only matched speed with him, as they were, in fact, the same fucking dragon.

"Guys, please, Barf and Belch are the same dragon." Hiccup really didn't want to have to deal with this at the moment. Aran snickering wasn't helping.

"I can still beat him!" Ruffnut insisted, hoisting her leg up high enough to kick her brother in the face. It was impressive. The twins kept shoving each other, and Hiccup just sighed, looking at everyone else.

"Hah! You two think **you'll** be the first one to the island? As if you **Thorstons** could beat Hookfang and I there!" Snotlout seemed to have broken out of his half asleep stupor.

"Oh, it is **on.** " Tuffnut narrowed his eyes. "Sister! We must defend our family honour!" Ruff nodded in determination.

"Time to kick some Jorgenson butt!"

"Haha, good _fucking_ luck!" Snotlout called back, and Aran looked offended.

"Why does he keep saying that?" He looked to Hiccup, who could only shrugged. "Snotlout, you dragged me into this _fucking_ race, so you better not whine when you lose!"

"Why are you all like this?" Hiccup asked nobody in particular. Fishlegs sighed nearby.

"Meatlug isn't built for races." He patted the gronckle. "There, there, it's okay girl. You don't need to win a stupid race to be a winner in my heart." Hiccup laughed quietly as the large boy bent over to hug his dragon.

"Snotlout!" Astrid seemed offended, and Hiccup could only wonder what in Hel's name Snotlout had said to get Astrid to join the race.

"Oh, brother…"

Well, if anything Hiccup supposed they would probably reach Dragon's Edge sooner than anticipated. That wouldn't stop him from thinking it was ridiculous to start a race when they were only four hours into a journey that was thirty four, but now he supposed it would probably take more like twenty six or something. He leaned back, laying on Toothless as they glided easily. Him and Fishlegs said nothing as they continued their leisurely pace, and Hiccup must have fallen asleep at some point, because before he knew it, his vision was full of stars. Sitting up and looking around revealed nothing out of the ordinary, and he thought he recognized a stone pillar, so he figured Toothless had kept them on course. He patted his friend on the neck with a smile before glancing to the side to see Fishlegs.

"Hey, Fish, I'm gonna fly ahead." A smirk made its way onto his face. "It'll be fun to see if I can still win this race." Fishlegs rolled his eyes.

"You have fun with that. Meatlug and I are going to continue this pleasant, leisurely flight."

Hiccup nodded at him with a smile, shaking his somewhat achy limbs out as he leaned forward on Toothless, urging him to go faster. It took several hours to catch up with the others, and by that time the sun had long since risen. Twenty four hours hadn't quite passed since leaving Berk, and Hiccup made sure him and Toothless stayed in the clouds above the group so they couldn't see him. They hadn't quite reached the Edge yet, and if Hiccup was going to win the race he wasn't quite sure was still happening, he wanted to do it with a bit of a dramatic flair. Astrid was easily in first place, Snotlout trailing close behind. The twins lagged behind significantly, which Hiccup suspected was due to their bickering, and Aran was ahead of the two of them by a decent amount, but wasn't quite on Hookfang's tail. It seemed the group had stopped trying to argue that they would win for the time being, that is…

"Look, there's the Edge!" Snotlout shouted, pointing to the familiar island.

"Come on, Barf!" Ruff urged, Tuffnut doing the same for Belch.

"We can win this, Stormfly." Astrid said, determined smirk on her face.

Aran silently urged Méaróg to go faster, and the two of them gained on Hookfang rather easily. Hiccup suspected they'd been waiting and conserving their energy for a sort of sprint at the end. The twins, despite their best efforts, didn't manage to get close enough to leave last place. Astrid was still clearly in first place, but Aran managed to pull ahead of Snotlout. It seemed clear that the battle for first place was between Astrid and Aran, with Snotlout and the twins solidly in third and fourth. They were nearing the landing destination, and that was when Hiccup and Toothless decided to swoop in, shooting a plasma blast and landing on it just before the others could reach.

"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted as she dismounted, not satisfied with second place.

"What? All's fair in love and war, isn't it?" He joked as he dismounted Toothless and approached her, putting his hands on her hips. She gave him a somewhat surprised look, but his eyes flicked over to Aran, who had landed right after her, and she proceeded to look unamused. Aran glanced at the two of them with a frown on his face.

"Mmm, well, if that's the case, you wouldn't mind me doing this!" Astrid punched him in the chest, and he let go of her hips, wheezing as he doubled over in pain.

" **Why** would you **do** that!?" He made a valiant effort to regain his breath.

"What happened to him?" Aran questioned Astrid.

"Oh, well you see I don't appreciate him taking the win from me, so I punched him right in the solar plexus." She said casually as Hiccup leaned on Toothless for support.

"Yeah, with your full strength?" He wheezed. " **Gods.** "

"Oh, trust me, if it was full strength you'd be dead." The smile on Astrid's face was a little frightening.

"You should try it on Snotlout." Aran suggested.

"Try what on Snotlout?" The short boy asked as he landed. Astrid delivered a swift punch, and he was soon on the ground. " **Why** would you **do** that!?" Aran and Astrid exchanged a look before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, great, now Snotlout is starting to sound like me." Hiccup grumbled, rubbing his sore chest as he regained his breath.

"Ooooh, are we beating Snotlout up?" Ruffnut asked as she hopped off of Barf's neck, kicking Snotlout in the stomach.

"That sounds great!" Tuff joined in on the fun, and Snotlout groaned on the ground.

"Come on guys, let's not kill Snotlout." Hiccup walked over to them, hands up in a sort of peacemaking gesture. "As fun as it is, I'm sure you wouldn't want to be the ones cleaning up his body."

"Hmm…" The twins seemed to be considering it.

"You can't torment him if he's dead." Hiccup pointed out, and the twins nodded.

"That is very true." Tuffnut looked at his sister and they nodded, kicking the downed Jorgenson one last time each before walking Barf and Belch to the stables.

"Hiccup, you are the **worst** cousin." Snotlout spat as he stood up. "And Astrid! What in Hel's name!?" She shrugged.

"Aran told me to."

"Aran!?" Aran shrugged.

"She did it to Hiccup first.

"Hiccup!?" Hiccup shrugged.

"I beat her in the race."

"Oh hey, where's Fishlegs?" Aran asked, patting Snotlout on the back.

"He should be here in a few hours. Him and Meatlug are taking it slow." Astrid hooked her arm into Hiccup's as he spoke.

"Hey, Hic, can I talk to you?" She glanced at Aran and Snotlout. "Alone?"

"Umm, sure. Snotlout, you can show Aran around." Hiccup waved them off before letting Astrid lead him in the opposite direction of Snotlout and Aran. The two of them walked for a moment before she started talking.

" _What was with that love and war stuff?_ " She had unhooked her arm from his. They didn't need unnecessary affection, after all. The two of them had come to the conclusion that they were never going to be attracted to each other, so there was no point trying or pretending when they were away from others.

" _What do you mean?_ " Astrid narrowed her eyes.

" _I_ _ **mean**_ _, what's with the unnecessary flirting?_ " Hiccup fidgeted. " _You know Aran likes you. Why did you do that? I understand it when someone is trying to flirt with one of us and we don't want their attention, but this is_ _ **Aran**_ _we're talking about. I didn't even have to turn around to feel them frowning at us._ " He avoided her gaze.

" _Yeah, he was frowning._ " He mumbled slightly. " _I just- we_ _ **can't**_ _be together, so I don't want to get his hopes up._ " Hiccup ran a hand through his hair, as if trying to brush away the stress.

" _You_ _ **can**_ _be together, you're just afraid of rejection._ " Both of them knew she wasn't talking about Aran's rejection.

" _Yeah, well so what if I am? There's so much at stake here. It's not just_ _ **my**_ _pride, it's the entire Haddock name. And-and Aran? I would feel like the worst person in the world if people started calling him a-a_ rassragr _!_ " He was gesturing wildly as he worked himself up, only stilling his hands when Astrid held onto them.

"Hiccup, we don't use that word." She scolded.

"I know that! I would **never** use that word, but I sure know that other people would!" Hiccup wrenched his hands out of her grip and opted to run them through his hair. "I just- I don't know, Astrid. _I care about him. A lot. I-I don't think I could handle people looking down on him because of a relationship with me, and I don't want my dad to look at me with that-that_ _ **disappointed**_ _look he used to have all the time, I don't want people to think I'm not_ _ **fit**_ _to be chief because of it, because I already_ _ **know**_ _I'm not fit to be chief. I don't want other tribes looking down on us because someone like_ _ **me**_ _is the chief, or the chief's son, I-I just-_ "

"Hiccup." Astrid grabbed his wrists, to stop him from flailing his arms around. Sure, he always gestured a lot with his hands, but when he was stressed he did it tenfold. "I have full confidence that everything will work itself out."

"You're just saying that to calm me down." Astrid shook her head.

"No, I really fully believe that you can work everything out. That, and I don't really wanna have your babies, no offense." Hiccup looked at her in mock offense.

"Well, in that case, I want a divorce." He stuck his tongue out at her, and she laughed, hugging him in one of those rare Astrid-hugs that you usually only get if you're Hiccup or Heather. She must have a thing for 'H' names. "What, is this your way of trying to repair our marriage? I gotta say, Astrid, that's a weak move." He joked, hugging her back nonetheless.

"Oh please, we both know neither of us would be happy if I tried to kiss you." Well, she had a point there. "Seriously though, Hic. You have to do **something** about this."

"Astrid-"

"No. I will seriously divorce us." There was no hint of humor in her voice, and Hiccup felt a twinge of fear.

"Astrid, I really, really, really would not appreciate that." His green eyes were pleading, but they met steely resistance. "We-we're each other's security blankets!"

"Yeah, well if I was you, I'd be breaking up right away if I knew the person I **actually** like liked me back." Hiccup groaned.

"Astrid…" His arms slipped from hugging her.

"Nope!" She released the hug. "I've had to deal with your moaning and groaning for three years. If I see a way to fix it, I **will** do it." Before Hiccup could respond, she started a light jog. "Race you to the clubhouse!"

"You, my dear lady, have given yourself an unfair advantage! I'm already handicapped, do you really need the head start?" He shouted after her, knowing that she'd only started to the race to change the subject.

He had to admit, he didn't mind too much. A distraction was nice every now and then, and with Aran moving into his room he suspected he would have a lot more tension in his life than he was used to anymore. Of course, he could have him sleep in the same room as one of the others, but he didn't want to seem suspicious. Hiccup really wished Aran wouldn't return his affections. That would make pushing everything down much, **much** easier.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,791_**

 **This chapter had a lot of platonic Hiccstrid huh? I love platonic Hiccstrid. Best bros. A+++**

 **Next chapter will probably be dragon shenanigans because hey, I'm in the mood**

 **I'd also like to take the time to say I got literally the most AMAZING guest review, and I actually cackled when I saw it in my gmail notifications because all of the curse words were censored! I just want to share it with you because. It was hilarious.**

 **From: Guest**  
 **-**

 **What the f*** is this s*** o my god i cant even f*** f*** not again s*** f*** just why would you f*** s*** oh s*** just f*** delete this s*** f*** s*** f*****

 **(Uncensored version: What the fuck is this shit o my god i cant even fuck fuck not again shit fuck just why would you fuck shit oh shit just fucking delete this shit fuck shit fuck)**

 **I had a good laugh, and I literally don't even know how to respond to this so? I'm just. I'm laughing sorry lmaooo I don't even know what I'm supposed to get from this like, it's cryptic, why did they say 'not again' I want to Know, please talk to me I'm ahfalhflaf hahaahhahaha**

 **ANYWAYS I hope you enjoyed haha see you next time**


	22. Maces and Talons and Shenanigans

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Aran unfortunately didn't get much of a chance to get used to life on Dragon's Edge before things between the riders and hunters got a tad intense. Astrid had informed him early on what the situation with Heather was, how she was acting as a double agent for them. He still didn't know much about her, only that she was apparently the sister of Dagur the Deranged, rode a razorwhip named Windshear, and was definitely on their side. Astrid seemed rather fond of her, and it seemed her and Hiccup were more than a little worried about the girl. Their worry seemed to intensify when the group returned from a mission, Snotlout and Ruffnut seeming to have swapped dragons for some reason. Aran, who had been sitting around with Méaróg waiting for them to return, could only raise an eyebrow at that, but he decided he would ask Ruff about it later, after he'd finished listening in on Astrid and Hiccup's conversation.

"We **have** to pull Heather out." She had her arms crossed as she faced Hiccup, concerned laced into both her eyes and her voice. "If I hadn't reacted, her cover would have been blown!" Hiccup turned away from Toothless to face her.

" **I** wanted her out **weeks** ago, and **somebody** talked me into-"

"I know, I did, but… things were **different** then."

"How?"

"It's **way** too dangerous."

"It's **always** been **way** too dangerous!"

"This has gotten crazy, Hiccup. And, she hasn't even met up with this 'Viggo' character!"

"Yes, exactly! Viggo Grimborn **leads** the Dragon Hunters. If we can take **him** down, the whole Dragon Hunter army will be without a leader, and they will collapse." The two of them got distracted momentarily, as Snotlout and Tuffnut interacted. Very loudly. Astrid shook her head, her voice softer than Aran had ever heard it before.

"If something happens to Heather-"

" **Nothing** is going to happen to her. She's way too smart for that!" He paused. "And, if she thought for a second that they were onto her, Windshear would get her out. Besides, what do you think she would do if we tried to pull her out of there?" Astrid's eyes shifted away, looking someplace distant. "Exactly. She'd never go for it. You have to remember that." They shared uncertain smiles, trying to reassure themselves before the moment was broken by Tuffnut running by, rolling Snotlout in a wooden cart as they yelled.

"Best time ever!" They shouted in unison, arms in the air.

"Oh, my Thor." Snotlout exclaimed.

"I cannot believe you just said that." They got up, disbelief and excitement on their faces as they continued to speak in unison. "Me neither!" Snotlout shrieked, and Aran stifled a laugh. He was kind of like an excited child, strangely enough.

"Did we just think each other's thoughts!?"

"I think we did. 'Cause that's what I just thought."

"You know what that means?" Snotlout seized Tuffnut's shoulders.

"I have…" Tuffnut's grin dropped as he shook his head. "I have no idea."

"We just became-" Snotlout took a deep breath before singing his next words. "Official best friends!" Aran practically choked trying not to laugh.

"What!?" Tuffnut's expression turned more intense than was necessary, but then, it's Tuffnut. "I have never had an official best friend." He grinned. "Always unofficial acquaintances!"

"Well, you do now. Come on. Bring it in, but this time, for the real thing." The two hugged very intensely.

"It's good. It's good, it's real. It's real enough."

"So, are they gonna kiss or what?" Aran asked under his breath, directing his words to Hiccup, who seemed slightly amused, and slightly annoyed.

"Ugh! Will you two please take it somewhere else? I can't hear myself think!" Astrid stomped off, not amused in the slightest.

"Hey, you wanna go someplace where nobody can tell us off?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Snotlout sounded almost in tears, his voice cracking.

The two of them left, along with Barf and Belch. Ruffnut was left looking disgruntled, and Hookfang narrowed his eyes in their general direction. Hiccup and Fishlegs wandered off somewhere, likely talking about something nerdy, while Astrid paced, muttering to herself and toying with her axe. Ruffnut just stood there with her arms crossed, looking more irritated by the second. After a while, she groaned, leaving the room. Not wanting to be left with an angry Astrid, Aran followed her. The two of them wound up near Hiccup's hut, after picking a boar up for reasons unknown to him. It wasn't until after they were running away that Aran noticed she'd taken the Dragon Eye.

"You know, you could have just had me ask for it." He pointed out. "Hiccup doesn't mind letting me mess with it."

"Uhh, where's the fun in that?" Ruff laughed as they reached the entrance to a cave. There was a scrambling sound before Snotlout was in the entrance of the cave. He wasn't really blocking them, because the entrance was so large, but he tried his best and Aran respected that.

"Who is it?" He sang.

"Let me in! Astrid is driving me nuts."

"I'm just bored." Aran shrugged.

"Mmm, no can do, poo. This is private club. To gain entrance you would have to-" Ruff held up the Dragon Eye. "Hang on a second." Snotlout turned around, hissing something to Tuffnut that Aran didn't pay attention to.

The short male let the two of them in, and they got as comfortable as possible in the cave. Ruffnut held the Dragon Eye for her brother as he made shadow puppets, and none of them were feeling very entertained. Something about the world seemed extremely boring at that moment. Aran would have drawn something, but the light from the lantern was dim, and he didn't want to bring his tin whistle out because he couldn't even think of anything to play. Tuffnut asked his sister how she got her hands on the Eye, but before she could finish saying that she asked for it, Aran informed them that she stole it while Hiccup was chasing Björn Boar out of his hut.

Hiccup and Astrid went to meet with Heather as Fishlegs joined the group in the cave. Aran dubbed himself the official protector of the Dragon Eye as the twins and Snotlout wrecked the cave even further. Fishlegs sighed, sticking around to protect the Eye as well, even though Aran insisted he was on the job and there would be no problems. Only a couple hours had passed by the time Hiccup and Astrid returned, and by that time, Fishlegs had deemed Aran worthy of protecting the Eye on his own. The large boy returned to the cave and informed them all of the situation, of how they were going to ambush Viggo before he captured the flightmare. Aran voiced his opinion that it kind of sounded like a trap ( **just** Viggo and Heather capturing a flightmare? Alone?) as he followed Fishlegs back to where they were all meeting with Astrid and Hiccup, but his concerns were waved off.

Not in the mood to argue his suspicions, and not even knowing much about Viggo in the first place, Aran let it slide. He wished the group good luck, resenting the fact that he had to stay behind due to his lack of combat experience, but Hiccup assured him that it would be good to have someone stay behind to protect the Dragon Eye. Of course, Hiccup wasn't aware that Aran currently had the Dragon Eye in his pouch, and went off to find it in his room. Before he could panic about how it wasn't there, Aran followed him, informing him that the twins and Snotlout had been messing with it when he stepped in to hold onto it and make sure it didn't get covered in boar rind grease and feathers. Not even sure what to make of that, Hiccup just scratched his head, scolding the twins before the group left Dragon's Edge.

Aran huffed in boredom. There really wasn't much to do on the Edge with nobody else around, so he searched for Méaróg before going on a leisurely flight around the island. Spotting a few wild dragons, he decided he really didn't want to get caught up with all of that, and quickly landed near the clubhouse. A few hours passed, and he was lazing about, gazing at the sea when he thought he saw something in the horizon. The dark spot was too low to be a dragon, so he scrambled towards the hut he and Hiccup shared to grab a spyglass. Upon seeing boats, he decided he very much did not want to be there when whoever was on them arrived, and urged Méaróg to follow him to the 'Awesome Viking Cave Club North East' before the boats reached them.

He could only assume the loud, destructive sounds that reached his ears came from the Dragon Hunters searching for the Dragon Eye, and he retreated deeper into the cave, tightly clutching his pouch that contained the cylindrical object. Feeling tired, yet completely unable to sleep, he sat on the cold stone floor, leaning against Méaróg's comforting presence but unable to relax. It felt like years passed before the hunters stopped making noise, and Aran's heart had pounded in his chest the entire time. He wasn't stupid enough to think he could hold his own against them. Sure, he had a dragon and a knife, but neither he nor his brother knew how to fight. He'd received some combat training from Astrid, but was nowhere near skilled enough to take on multiple hunters at once. Luckily, the hunters didn't discover the cave, and after they'd been gone, Aran must have fallen asleep because when he opened his eyes, there was sunlight at the entrance. It didn't reach him, due to his position in the darkest depths of the cave, but it was there. Most of the cave's lighting came from a couple lanterns.

"Aran?" He wasn't sure who had said that, but it was definitely the voice of one of the riders, so he got to his feet, rubbing his face as he wandered towards the voices.

"Aran!" It was Astrid, and Aran stepped towards her with a bit of a stumble. His legs were shaky- likely from the stress of being able to do nothing about the hunters destroying the Edge. "Are you okay?" She quickly supported him, and he nodded.

"Yeah…" He blinked. "When did you get taller than me?" She was about two inches taller than him, and frowning. "Right. Sorry, dumb question, not the right time for that." Astrid released him when she was certain he wouldn't fall over again.

"Do you have the Dragon Eye?" Hiccup asked, getting closer, and Aran looked up at him with a nod. He opened his pouch and handed it over.

"Sorry I couldn't… do anything. The Edge must look terrible."

"It's fine." Aran ran a gloved hand through his bangs, eyes darting around and familiarizing himself with his surroundings. Everything looked as messy as it had when he'd fallen asleep. "None of them saw you, did they?"

"No… _I figured it would be a good idea to keep myself a secret._ " Aran mumbled as he shook his head, slipping into Irish by accident.

"You okay?" Hiccup asked, seeing as his friend (and object of his affections) was clearly feeling out of it.

"Yeah, I'm just… tired. Feeling kind of useless. I think I'm going to go take a nap with Méaróg." He rubbed his face, hopping on his brother without waiting for a response.

Aran let Méaróg find a rather nice stretch of beach for the two of them to sleep on, and they slept, despite it being daylight. Nobody woke him up to tell him they were leaving, but when he woke up he found a note tucked into his pouch. Méaróg seemed to have woken up to catch fish, if the distant splashing sound was any indicator. Aran looked out to the sea somewhat dully. After Méaróg returned, and Aran found something to eat, he decided to at least make himself useful and start to rebuild some of the damage the Edge had taken. He gave up halfway through and lounged about in the clubhouse until the others returned.

Unfortunately, when they **did** return, Aran discovered that the mission had succeeded in freeing Heather and Windshear, but they lost the Dragon Eye. Aran felt even more useless at that point. All he was good for was keeping the Eye safe, and despite doing that, it still fell into Viggo's hands. He wouldn't even be able to defend himself if he was faced with hunters. An image of him being held hostage because he didn't know how to defend himself flashed through his mind, and he felt his throat tighten. The day after the riders returned from fiasco with Viggo, Aran requested that Astrid give him more combat training. She happily obliged, and soon it was as if the two were always in the midst of fighting. Their dragons were a completely different story.

"Toothless! Toothless!" Méaróg cawed, practically tackling the black dragon when he landed, despite the fact that Hiccup was still attached. There was a panicked shout, and Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief when Toothless dodged the energetic dragon. "Fight!"

"Méaróg!" It sounded as if Toothless was scolding him as Hiccup dismounted. "Not when my Young is on me!" Méaróg made a bored sound.

"Fight me!"

"You'll lose."

Not one to be deterred, Méaróg tackled the night fury, trying his best to win a battle he'd never won before. Hiccup was quickly forgotten as Toothless pinned Méaróg to the ground. After a few more rounds of friendly fighting, Méaróg excitedly ran off to get Toothless some Icelandic cod. Toothless simply let him do so, feeling highly amused by the situation. Méaróg tended to get attached to others extremely easily, and Toothless was no exception. The pink reptile loved providing his friends with their favorite things, and one of his favorite things to do (other than playing) was to get gifts for his friends. He often got Toothless's favorite fish for him, and bestowed Aran with gifts of beautiful shells and pebbles. His other dragon friends were gifted with their favorite fish as well. Toothless thought it was sweet.

"Toothless!" Méaróg's voice was muffled as he returned, several fish hanging out of his mouth. He dropped the fish at Toothless's feet. "Food!"

"Thank you." He ate the fish up quickly, as Méaróg seemed to be waiting for him to finish.

"Did I do good?" The desert wraith asked immediately as soon as Toothless had swallowed the last bite. He looked restless.

"Yes. You can go if you want." Toothless yawned as he began to walk off in search of Hiccup. Unlike his younger friend, Toothless was tired out from flying with Hiccup.

"Okay!"

Méaróg quickly flew off in search of his other friends. Since arriving on Outpost Island, where Dragon's Edge was located, Corcra and Mathilda seemed to have found a place with the native dragons. Mathilda enjoyed her time with the other wild dragons on the island, bonding with another female monstrous nightmare. She was a mother of three, and her mate had been killed by a titanwing nightmare. Hookfang had helped her defend her eggs, and now Mathilda was intent on making sure the hatchlings came to no harm. Corcra, on the other hand, spent more time around the Edge. Méaróg had noticed that he hung around more when Stormfly was there, but otherwise he spent his time with the nadders on the island. His beautiful purple hide was more than enough to attract the other dragons, and he had a large collection of suitors who wanted to be his mate. He never chose a mate though. Méaróg decided he was kind of an ass sometimes. Either way, both of his dragon friends from back on Berk had adjusted to life on Outpost Island nicely, and despite integrating with the local dragons, they still made time for Méaróg and Aran.

"Méaróg!" Ah! There was Stormfly!

"Stormy!" Méaróg landed beside her, and they bobbed their heads at each other, him refraining from tackling her. Nadders aren't fond of wrestling, due to their lack of arms. "Where's Corcra?"

"Geh." She looked around. "Hopefully not here." Méaróg almost laughed.

"He just wants to get to know you!" He nudged her with his head, and she rustled her wings.

"He just wants to show off his hide!" Stormfly stood with her chest puffed out. "Well, it doesn't matter. **I'm** obviously the better shot." A nadder spine imbedded itself in the ground very close to her claws, and Méaróg squawked as he scrambled away from the deadly projectile. "And there he is." Stormfly did not look amused.

"Hello there, my lovely lady!" Corcra landed beside the two of them. "Oh, and the little pebble." Méaróg half-heartedly spat sand at him, coated with light flames. Corcra paid him no mind.

"I wonder if my rider wants to do anything with me…" Stormfly wiggled a bit as she prepared for flight.

"Wait!" Corcra squawked unattractively. "Maybe we could-" And Stormfly left.

"I don't think she likes you very much." Méaróg chirped, and Corcra looked dejected. "You just have to try harder! She likes chicken."

"And where am I supposed to get chicken?" Corcra took off, flying in the opposite direction Stormfly had left in. Méaróg supposed he didn't want to bother her and cause her to dislike him even more.

His next course of action was to find Mathilda. She could almost always be found with her friend, who Snotlout had dubbed Girl Hookfang. Méaróg named her Cailín. Sure, it just sort of meant girl in Irish, but Méaróg just meant pebble, so he didn't really feel it was a bad name. Mathilda as with Cailín and her hatchlings, as he'd suspected. Monstrous nightmare hatchlings usually find independence early on, but Cailín's children didn't seem to want to leave her. Perhaps it was due to the lack of the father figure in their life. Either way, Méaróg loved playing with them, even if he wasn't allowed to properly wrestle. Sometimes the three of them climbed on him and lit themselves on fire. It was a surprisingly pleasant feeling, and he wondered if that was because their flames hadn't developed to be as hot as their mother's yet.

After playing with the hatchlings for a while, they began to doze off, and Méaróg felt somewhat tired as well. He said his farewells to the dragons before heading back towards the Dragon's Edge. Such was a usual day for the desert wraith when he didn't spend it with his brother. Things continued like that for several months.

Aran kept training his combat skills with Astrid, and after those several months, it seemed like his skills were nearly on par with hers. His weapon of choice was still a dagger, but he had a particular fondness for spears, and wasn't too bad with a sword. Axes and maces didn't fit his fighting style, and despite his fondness for them, he actually wasn't too skilled with spears. Not wanting to carry just the dagger Mathilda had given him on his twentieth birthday, he'd procured a sword from the armory at some point.

Over those few months, he'd practically thrown himself completely into training to be better in every way. His change in demeanor often left no time for him to spend time with others, save for Astrid, who was the one training him in combat nearly every day. Sometimes, Hiccup would watch him and Astrid spar. The twins and Snotlout tried to get him roped up in their antics, but he would refuse more often than not. Fishlegs didn't try to talk to him much, as he had made it very apparent that he wasn't interested in learning about different kinds of dragons at that moment. His free time was generally spent in the sky, where he would sketch, play his tin whistle, sing, or even take naps on Méaróg's back.

The redhead decided that after the months of combat training, perhaps Méaróg should begin training as well. Méaróg wasn't particularly happy about the situation, but that didn't stop Aran. Astrid was happy to help as much as she could, as her and Aran had become surprisingly good friends over time, but there was only so much she could help him with. It was a struggle, determining what Méaróg was best at in terms of combat. His general strengths in flying came down to his stamina, and he wasn't particularly fast or good at sharp turns and the like. When it came to firepower, shooting hardened balls of flaming sand was pretty good, and packed a hard punch, but it was a little inconvenient when he ran out of sand. Aran decided to work on that. Eventually Méaróg learned how to breath fire without sand, but it wasn't quite as strong.

After running through drills for what felt like years, Aran and Méaróg were finally deemed skilled enough to defend the Edge properly. The two of them were tasked with testing out catapults, and Aran took it upon himself to bond with Smidvarg. Smidvarg was the alpha night terror, a small species of dragon the group had found nowhere but on Outpost Island. They flock together, and help to defend the island. That was why Aran took the time to get close to Smidvarg, as it would be more than convenient to be able to communicate with him and give signals to order his flock to mimic other dragons. Aran even managed to come up with ways for the flock to split up into different groups to give the illusion of several dragons, but they were still a little messy with that method. After an unsuccessful day of getting the night terrors to be multiple dragons, Aran found himself wandering towards the clubhouse.

"... _and he's just been so focused on getting stronger lately, I've just been worried about him, y'know?_ " He paused, recognizing Hiccup's voice and wondering why he was speaking Irish. He decided to snoop.

" _Hiccup, he's fine. You know better than anyone how feeling useless can be- don't give me that look. Some people deal with things differently, and Aran is no exception._ " It came as no surprise that it was Astrid he was speaking to, seeing as she was currently the only other rider who was fluent in Irish. Aran should really get to teaching the others more. " _You can't let this stress you out when you have bigger things to worry about._ "

" _I know, I know, I just…_ "

" _Hey, if I were you, I'd just be happy that he's putting so much effort into getting stronger. He's pretty much ready to go with us on actual missions._ " Hiccup groaned.

" _I don't want him to._ " Aran frowned at that. " _That'd be putting him in danger, and I-I couldn't live with myself if he got hurt because of me. It's bad enough that I invited him here in the first place and got him roped into everything, but now-_ "

" _Calm down, Hiccup. Sure, you dragged him into everything, but there's nothing you can do about it now. I really mean it when I say you worry too much. You need to focus more on Viggo and less on Aran._ "

" _I try to, Astrid._ " There was a moment of quiet, only disturbed by the crackling fire and sounds of nature outside. " _Sometimes I wish I could send him back to Berk. I wouldn't have to think about… any of the mess I've gotten myself into. I could pretend nothing happened._ " Aran furrowed his brows in confusion. What was that supposed to mean? " _I wouldn't be worrying as much, that's for sure._ "

" _Honestly, you should just talk to him about it. Everything'll turn out fine, even if you don't end up-_ "

" _We're never going to, so there's no point talking about it. End of discussion._ "

"Well, I don't see why you keep talking to **me** about it if you don't want to hear my advice." He could practically feel the eye roll coming from her. "Now, I think **you** should go to bed before a certain someone thinks we're having sex or something."

"Astrid! That's disgusting!" Aran could practically hear the shudder in his voice, and only managed to be confused. If the two of them had been dating for three years, one would think they'd fooled around, right? "I'd rather kiss the screaming death."

"Oh, trust me, so would I." Her voice was light and teasing, and Aran found himself thinking they made a very odd couple sometimes. "Go kiss Aran goodnight." Aran felt a little flustered, wondering why she had instructed Hiccup to do **that** of all things.

" **Astrid!** " The blonde girl laughed. "You're the worst. I want a divorce."

"And I'd be more than happy to sign the divorce papers if you would just-"

"For the last time, Astrid-"

"Oh, I've told you so many times, we could never be together, I'm gonna be chief someday and golly gee, we can't have everyone looking down on the Hooligan tribe because their chief is-"

"Wha- I don't **sound** like that!" Aran laughed at that, though he immediately regretted it when he heard uneven footsteps approaching. "Aran?" He looked panicked.

"Yeah, sorry, I was eavesdropping." Aran admitted. "I've been here since the 'you being worried about me focussing on training so much' thing."

"You two should talk!" Astrid said as she walked out of the clubhouse, likely towards her own hut. "About things!" She turned around and gave Hiccup a very particular look, and Aran could have sworn he glared at her.

"So…" Astrid left, and Aran turned to look up at him. It occurred to him that the two of them hadn't had a proper conversation in about a week. "What was that about?"

"I…" Hiccup blushed, and Aran thought it was cute. It brought a smile to his face. "Can we maybe… not talk about it?"

"I mean, I guess… And I don't want to go on any missions. From the sound of it, it seems like you guys leave the Edge completely defenseless when you go on those, because there are only six of you." Hiccup nodded quietly.

"... If you don't want to come out with us, why have you been training so hard?"

"Well, after the fiasco with Viggo a few months back, I just felt so…" He ran a hand through his hair, looking off to the side as they walked towards their shared hut. "Astrid got it right, I felt useless. I've been training so I can actually defend the Edge if they come back. Smidvarg and I can actually be ready this time, and when we get the Dragon Eye back, I can make sure it doesn't get taken again. Plus, the thought of being unable to defend myself…" Aran shuddered. "The last thing I want is for Viggo to find out, well…" He looked up at Hiccup. "If he somehow found out how much you… care about me." Hiccup tensed slightly. "I doubt he'd be against kidnapping me or Astrid, though it's probably more likely for him to kidnap Astrid considering the fact that you're actually dating and he knows her habits better." Aran chewed the inside of his cheek. "Either way, I don't want to be kidnapped, and if I have no combat experience that's way more likely to happen."

"I don't know what I'd do if Viggo took you." Hiccup admitted.

"Probably something stupid." Aran supplied.

"Yeah, maybe even something crazy." He smiled a little as the two entered Hiccup's hut. "Not that we really **need** more crazy what with the twins existing and all."

"Well, after months of training, I think I'm pretty confident in my abilities. Sorry about letting the twins and Snotlout waste all that nightmare gel a couple weeks back. I should have been helping Fishlegs take care of things while you and Astrid were out." Hiccup waved him off as he started taking off his jacket and getting ready for bed.

"It's fine, I know you've been out of it lately." Aran frowned.

"I think I'm better now. Maybe not good enough to stop Snotlout from setting our hut on fire trying to light the forge, but y'know." He shrugged, an amused smile on his face. "Better."

"I… am honestly just glad you weren't inside when it happened." The two of them laughed, remembering that time.

"Both of us are, Hic." He settled in his bed with a yawn, considering how late it was. Sometimes he was still surprised that he had an actual bed instead of a pile of fabric on the ground. A part of him wondered if he would ever move out of Hiccup's room at this rate, considering all the personal touches he'd added to the hut.

"Night, Aran." Hiccup's voice floated from somewhere in the dark after he blew out the candle that had been giving them light.

"What, you're gonna ignore Astrid's orders to kiss me goodnight?" He wasn't sure why he said that, but Hiccup's groan was amusing.

"Goodnight, Aran." His voice was firmer, and Aran laughed.

"Night, Hic. Sweet dreams!"

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,889_**

 **This is not a good chapter because I shoved dragon shenanigans in and got nervous bc I felt like nobody would want to read those. Tbh the dragon stuff isn't super important? It's pretty much just humorous things like Corcra trying and failing to seduce Stormfly**

 **Aside from that, there's some fun dialogue and Aran being bad at eavesdropping. At least he didn't hear anything super mortifying.**

 **I can't think of anything important to say? I'll be going through a few episodes (DEATHSONG BABY EPISODE!) in RTTE if I decide they'll be fun (HEATHER!) and I'll probably just title the chapters according to the episode names haha**

 **Anyways, as always, I hope you enjoyed (even though the pacing was terrible and not good!) and I'll see you next time (hopefully)!**


	23. Buffalord Soldier

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn to speak, it's just fun to see what the dragons are saying sometimes).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Aran wasn't surprised to find that Hiccup was already up and about, talking to himself from somewhere on the ground floor of their hut. He always woke up on early to fly Toothless, so Aran suspected he'd been up for a couple hours already. Yawning, Aran stretched, slowly shuffling down the stairs to greet him. Hiccup gave him a distracted greeting before returning to his musings. Aran smiled at him, going off to get food. After eating, he wondered where everyone was. He didn't have to look far to see that the twins were up to mischief, and he thought he saw Snotlout sewing something up without his shirt on. Fishlegs was likely relaxing near his hut, and he didn't want to disturb him, so he sat by Snotlout.

"What's up, béalsnot?" Snotlout blinked at him, not having been expecting him. He immediately pretended he hadn't been sewing.

"Nothing much, y'know, just being manly and showing off my muscles and stuff." It occurred to Aran that he was probably sewing his shirt.

"Oh, I thought you were mending something." He shrugged. "I can't sew for _shit_ , honestly. Anyways, do you know where Astrid is?"

"She went out on patrol."

It was a simple answer, and Aran decided to leave him be. He was sure Snotlout wouldn't continue sewing until he left, and he didn't want the poor boy to be without a shirt for too long in the cold, so he made his way to the clubhouse. Luckily, it wasn't empty, and Aran had the comforting presence of Hiccup tinkering with things to keep him company. He decided it'd been awhile since he played his tin whistle, so he pulled that out, and the two fell into a nostalgic lull. Aran honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd spent in Hiccup's work area, playing music as the younger male worked on whatever contraption he was making at the time. It may have actually been when Hiccup was working on Toothless's saddle and tailfin.

"Hey, Aran." Aran looked up, not stopping the air blowing through the instrument. He smiled into the mouthpiece when he saw the ridiculous glasses (goggles?) he was wearing. "You might wanna cover your eyes."

"Umm, okay?" He did so, not playing anymore. His vision went red as he heard Toothless breath on something.

"Interesting material. Seems organic in nature." Fishlegs's voice came out of nowhere, and Aran could only assume the large boy had just walked in. The excess noise from Toothless stopped, so he deemed it was safe to open his eyes.

"Deathsong amber, hammered thin. This is strong enough to stare straight into the eyes of a flightmare." Hiccup put his hands on his hips, a proud smile on his face. It was adorably nerdy, with the goggles still on his face.

"Fascinating. May I?" Fishlegs approached excitedly.

"Please, I insist!" Fishlegs put the goggles on, gasping in excitement when Toothless blasted the metal like before. Aran understood why Hiccup told him to cover his eyes, as the light that resulted from the action was bright white.

"Remind me what the deathsong is again?" Aran asked. He wasn't the most knowledgable with different species of dragon, and had never encountered one of them before.

"It's this bright orange- Astrid, are you okay?"

Hiccup's explanation was cut short as he caught sight of his girlfriend standing in the entrance to the clubhouse. Toothless stopped breathing on the metal, and Fishlegs looked over with concern as well. Aran stood from their seat as Hiccup approached her. She looked unsure of herself, and was clutching her arm as she locked her gaze on the ground. Astrid didn't look up until Hiccup spoke.

"What's wrong? Did you see something on patrol?" She nodded.

"Hunters? Trapped dragons? Viggo?" Tuffnut slapped his hand on Fishlegs's shoulder, and Aran flinched slightly, not having known he was there.

"Oh! I love this game. Okay, now it's my turn, everyone quiet. Astrid, is what you found bigger than a yak box?" He had a hopeful smile on his face as Astrid walked forward.

"I found a fishing boat." Her voice was oddly soft.

"I'm supposed to guess before you tell me. Doesn't **anyone** know how to play?" His pouty expression shifted to a smile at his next words. "But just for the record, a boat **is** bigger than a yak box, so… I'll score this one a win for the old T-nut. Scratch one off in the Tuffnut column." Astrid's brows furrowed, and she shook her head slightly.

"It was just drifting out there." Her voice grew slightly more strained as she spoke. "We went to take a closer look, but… what we found inside, it was…" She clasped her hands together as her shoulders grew tense.

"Was what?" Snotlout's shirt seemed to have been mended, and he was his usual frightened self.

"Bodies." Astrid dropped her arms, and turned to face the group as she'd walked away with her back turned to them. "Skin was all pale and green, we got out of there as fast as we could." Her voice had raised in pitch, obviously shaken by the discovery. Aran wanted to give her a hug, but refrained from doing so.

"Survivors?" Fishlegs asked, having raised the goggles above his head so he could see properly.

"One." There was pain in her eyes.

"Then we need to go back out there and help them. Toothless." He looked to his companion, ready to depart at a moment's notice.

"Hiccup. It's too late." She looked down.

"Umm, Hiccup, 'pale green skin'? I hate to be the harbinger of doom, but-"

"I know what you're thinking, Fishlegs, but-"

"The Scourge of Odin.

"Ohh, let's not just throw that word around too loosely, because-"

"Wait, back it up." Snotlout approached them warily. "Did he just say **Scourge** of **Odin?** " He put his hands on his helmet, and Aran could practically feel the panic growing in him.

"Yes, but there's no need to panic." Hiccup attempted to reassure his cousin.

"Right. No need to panic. The Scourge of Odin. **Just** the plague that tore through the archipelago **centuries** ago, wiping out **entire viking villages!** Yeah, why would we worry about that?" Snotlout gasped, slapping his hands over his mouth. "Quick, Hookfang! I need a mask for my mouth." He started running around, and Aran could only blink at him in astonishment.

"Well, that's a long time coming." Tuffnut commented.

"Very funny." Snotlout stopped by Tuff, ripping his hands off of his mouth. "I already feel short of breath." He practically whimpered, putting his hands on his neck.

"We must burn our clothes!" Ruffnut shouted, raising a finger in the air.

"No. No, no, no. No need to panic. I've got the answer. Wait for it." He reached into his pocket before holding up a moldy piece of bread. "Bing! Oh, yeah."

"Moldy bread? Like that's gonna cure the Scourge?"

"That it will, sis. Once, I had a really bad cold, so! I decided to eat some moldy bread. Don't ask my why, because I don't know. But, boom! Instantly cured." Ruffnut squinted at him, a look of pure disbelief on her face. "Okay, you scoff now but one day, science will recognize my genius." He was brandishing the moldy piece of bread as if it were an extension of his own hand. "They called old crazy Uncle Hendrik crazy."

"He **is** crazy, Tuffnut. He married his own **beard.** " She held an imaginary beard.

"Mhmm. Yes. Okay. Bad example. Let's go with your clothes-burning plan. We'll keep them on you, just to be sure." He cupped his mouth with one hand as he called the dragons.

"Uh, let's **not** jump to conclusions and… set ourselves on fire, eat moldy bread, or hyperventilate." He gestured to Snotlout, who was breathing into a boot. Aran cringed, patting him on the back.

"Snotlout, you can't catch the Scourge of Odin by breathing." Fishlegs pointed out, prompting Snotlout to throw the boot behind him.

"I knew that." Hookfang puffed his nostrils at Snotlout, messing up his helmet and looking highly amused.

"There hasn't been a single case of the Scourge for centuries. Plus, Astrid got out of there right away." Hiccup sounded stressed as he approached his girlfriend, who had fallen silent. Astrid was standing far from the group, facing the wall and clutching her left arm. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She slipped his hand off of her shoulder. "Really."

The two of them shared a forced smile, and Hiccup walked off to give her space. All of the riders walked off to give her space, actually. When she turned to look at the wall again, face drawn in worry, she was surprised to see Aran approach her. He gave her a gentle smile, asking if she wanted a hug, which she predictably refused. She still thanked him for the offer, and Aran offered to walk with her to her room. That, she accepted, though Aran noticed she was definitely still out of it. Despite this, he knew that she probably wasn't going to tell him anything, so he let her be when she asked him to leave. He spent the rest of his day in worry, starting a sketch of a melancholy Astrid who seemed to have forgotten she was sharpening her axe because she got lost in thought. It was a beautiful image, but did nothing to soothe his mind.

That night, he was awoken by a loud crash, and was vaguely aware that Hiccup was saying things. Slipping out of bed, Aran looked down to the ground floor and saw Stormfly running in circles, looking rather stressed. As soon as she noticed she'd gotten their attention, she darted out the door. Hiccup and Aran made brief eye contact before quickly mounting Toothless, as Méaróg tended to sleep outside on the beach. Stormfly lead them to Astrid's hut, and it didn't take long for the two of them to notice the scratch on Astrid's arm. Hiccup left to go get Fishlegs, as Aran didn't exactly have a dragon to ride to get there quickly. The large boy didn't take too long to get there.

Fishlegs and Hiccup walked away from Astrid to whisper to each other, and judging by the looks on their faces, Aran could guess that Astrid probably definitely had the Scourge of Odin. He sighed, pulling a chair up to her bed. Snotlout and Hookfang landed outside the hut, causing Hiccup and Fishlegs to go greet him, as well as retrieve Gothi's notes on the Scourge. He rightfully had a look of concern on his face, and asked Astrid how she was feeling. She insisted that she was fine, with a very dry voice as she coughed and looked like she was dying. Aran sighed in her general direction while Hiccup seemed to have found the cure, but it involved the saliva of an extinct dragon known as the buffalord.

Astrid stood, insisting once more that she was fine before promptly falling over. Aran caught her, as he had been right by her bed, and shook his head, telling her to rest as he gently laid her down. She repeated her mantra of 'I'm fine' as the others left her hut, Aran saying he would stay behind and keep an eye on her. Astrid attempted to act as if all was normal and all she had was a simple cold, but when she tried to eat, she gagged and wound up spitting it out. Luckily, she could stomach water, so at least she could stay hydrated. The scratchiness of her voice didn't get better, but at least she could drink. Hiccup came in a few hours later to check on her, and Aran quietly informed him that she'd fallen asleep. He'd taken his sketchbook out, having abandoned the melancholy Astrid he'd started the previous night and starting instead on a drawing of her with a grin on her face as she swung her axe at a dragon hunter.

"Thank you for staying with her." Hiccup said, voice soft as he looked at his girlfriend. Aran smiled sadly at him.

"Well, she may not be my girlfriend, but she's a close friend of mine. I'd do it for any of you guys." He sighed. "I just wish I could do more."

"Just keep an eye on her. The twins found a map in the Dragon Eye that may lead to the buffalord if they're still around, so we should be able to help her soon."

Aran only nodded at him with a smile. Astrid's condition only worsened, her skin went pale, save for the area around her eyes turning a sickly green colour. When Aran put a hand to her forehead, he noted that her skin was cold. She was still sleeping as he piled blankets on her, and he hoped she would awaken soon to drink water, as her skin was looking dry. Several hours later, he was feeling exhausted, but she finally woke up with a groan.

"Astrid!" He jumped to a more alert position.

"Wha- Aran? What are you-" Astrid coughed. "Doing here?"

"Just keeping an eye on you. The others went to go find the buffalord." She just nodded, seeming to have finally accepted that she had the Scourge of Odin.

"... Thanks." Astrid mumbled.

"I just hope you get better soon." He gave her a gentle smile.

"Me too. I hate getting everyone worried like this. I'm supposed to be the strong one, and here I am lying sick in bed." She coughed again.

"Astrid, nobody is going to judge you for getting the _fucking_ Scourge." Aran thought he saw the hint of a smile on her lips. "Do you want to get more rest?"

"No, I don't think I could sleep now." Her voice cracked, and Aran handed her a glass of water. "I'm not much good for conversation either, though." There was humor in her voice, but Aran didn't feel it.

"I could tell you some stories my mam used to tell me?"

"That'd be nice…"

Astrid closed her eyes, but Aran knew she wasn't sleeping. He rambled on with stories about selkies, creatures that lived as seals in the water but shed their skin to become human on the land. Stories about Manannán mac Lir, and his children who were turned into swans for three hundred years. Tales of the war goddess Macha. The viking girl had nearly fallen asleep several hours later when she found herself stuck in a coughing fit. Aran quickly gave her water as soon as she'd stopped, but she wasn't given the opportunity to rest, as Snotlout had landed nearby with Hookfang. He had a rushed look about him, and Astrid sat up.

"The buffalord won't leave its island. We need to get Astrid over there, pronto." Astrid coughed, trying to stand up, but Aran put a hand on her back.

"Let me carry you. It'll be faster."

After a moment that seemed like an eternity, Astrid swallowed her pride and let him carry her. He called for Méaróg, and the pink dragon was luckily close enough to hear him. Snotlout didn't say much as he mounted Hookfang, Aran getting on Méaróg with Astrid still in his arm. Stormfly followed them to the sky, and they flew as fast as they could, not sure what their time constraints were but knowing that Astrid wasn't looking good. They landed, and Hiccup immediately ran up to Aran who still had Astrid cradled in his arms. The two of them made eye contact, and Aran carefully brought her to lean against a rock, taking his jacket off and draping it over shoulders. He left Hiccup to give Astrid a pep talk of sorts as he walked over to the others, all exchanging worried looks. Hiccup moved to collect the buffalord saliva before kneeling by Astrid and having her drink it, but nothing happened.

"Uh, nothing's happening." Hiccup stated.

"Maybe it takes some time for the antidote to work." Fishlegs suggested, but Aran shook his head as Astrid went into another coughing fit.

"No, something's wrong."

"Astrid…" Stormfly cooed in concern.

"It says the green solution will cure the Scourge. Green solution. Cure. That's all it says." Hiccup turned away from Astrid to face Fishlegs, and Aran got closer, drawing his jacket closer around her. She was freezing.

"But the buffalord's saliva is clear. What does it mean, 'green solution'?"

They were then distracted by the twins eating what looked like grass very loudly. After being reprimanded, Fishlegs and Hiccup had an epiphany. The grass was what the buffalord eats, and the twins eating it had turned their saliva green and caused it to dribble out of their mouths. Hiccup inferred that the cure wasn't just the saliva, but the saliva mixed with the herbs it eats. Fishlegs followed up by saying that must be why it doesn't leave the island. It can't just leave the herbs it eats, after all! Snotlout was tasked with getting the large dragon to eat and Aran smiled as he saw the saliva dribbling from the buffalord's mouth turning green. He put an arm around Astrid, trying to keep her from freezing as he reassured her that everything will be alright soon.

All was going well until Hiccup tried to collect the cure in his wooden cup and almost got trapped in a large net. Him and Snotlout dived out of the way just in time, landing on the ground with a rough thud. The buffalord was trapped under a net. Everyone's heads whipped around to face the direction the net had flown in from, and Aran spotted a man he could only suspect was Viggo, flanked by dragon hunters and walking slightly behind who he guessed was Ryker. His suspicions were correct.

"Viggo!" Hiccup shouted, anger on his face as the hunters surrounded him, Snotlout, and the buffalord.

"Hello, Hiccup. Thank you so very much for this gift." He gestured to the buffalord before putting his hand over his heart, eyes sliding shut in fake sympathy. "I do apologize that you won't be able to use it to save your little girlfriend." Snotlout ran behind Hiccup, and Hookfang landed nearby, Toothless following soon after.

"But how?" Fishlegs questioned as the two boys mounted their dragons. "There's no trace of this island anywhere. How did he find it?" His voice went high, stressed and confused.

"Who cares?" Snotlout shot back from his position on Hookfang's neck. "We've been dying for a little action." Aran found that he really wasn't and wished this could have gone smoothly because he kind of had Astrid dying in his arms at that moment. Snotlout took to the sky, and a crossbow aimed at him. Viggo and Ryker looked unimpressed, and Aran could only pray that the two of them didn't look at him.

"Let's make this count, bud." Hiccup muttered as him and Toothless lifted from the ground. Crossbows fixed on him as well, and the hunters brought a wooden plank on wheels that seemed the proper size for a buffalord. Hiccup and Snotlout dove at them.

"Dragon riders. Incoming." Ryker stated, holding his sword out in their general direction. Viggo barely avoided their fire, but he didn't look bothered, his voice coming out calmly.

"Show them no mercy. But safeguard our prize." He turned to point at the buffalord, unperturbed by the flames surrounding him. The twins took to the air, but Fishlegs hesitated to leave Astrid behind.

"Go, Fishlegs." Aran's voice was firm. "We can take care of her."

Méaróg shifted slightly at his side, shuffling closer to Astrid in an attempt to keep her warm. Fishlegs nodded hesitantly, mounting Meatlug. The dragon riders twisted and turned in the sky, avoiding arrows tipped with dragon root as they blasted fire at the hunters, trying to free the buffalord. Their blasts always stopped short of the ropes, fearing they would hurt the gentle giant, and the hunters seemed to be skilled at jumping out of harm's way without ceasing fire.

"Hiccup, I can't get a clean shot!" Snotlout shouted as he refrained from firing, quickly jolting Hookfang away from two arrows. Barf and Belch weren't as lucky as they got hit by an arrow, causing them to crash to the dirt with their riders in tow. They groaned, and a hunter looked ready to finish them off when Toothless shot a plasma blast from above.

"Pull up, riders! We can't risk hurting the buffalord. We need it." The hunters kept their crossbows trained on them, inching closer to the buffalord. "Viggo, release that dragon. You have no idea what you're doing."

"Oh, I beg to differ, my dear Hiccup." Came the smooth voice of Viggo as he walked forwards with no fear. "I'm keenly aware of my actions." He pointed to the netted dragon. "This dragon is exceedingly unique." As he drew closer, he placed the point hand on its hide. "It will elicit a considerable bounty on the open market." Free hand placed on his hip, he looked up at Hiccup in the sky rather confidently. "You should have left well enough alone, Hiccup. My fishing boat was no place for you or any of your riders."

" **Your** fishing boat?" Hiccup's voice was tense, and Aran felt anger well up inside himself. The smirk on Viggo's face told them all they needed to know.

"Move him." The hunters rolled the buffalord onto the wooden plank, beginning to roll him away. "It's simple, really. Supply and demand. I knew where to get the supply, if I could only generate the demand." Fishlegs gasped, looking at Astrid before turning back to Viggo, fire in his eyes.

"You're a monster!"

"Fishlegs, I'm shocked." The fake hurt on his face didn't match the glee in his eyes. "I'd have thought you were above name-calling. Monster? No." He shook his head, closing his eyes as he held a hand up. "Savvy businessman? Indeed." A smile crept its way onto his wicked face.

"And what if the dragon was extinct?" Hiccup called out, still in the air.

"I tend not to dwell on the 'what if's, my boy. Leaves you barren." Viggo returned his hands to his hips, exuding confidence.

"What are we waiting for? Let's take this psycho out already!" Snotlout shouted, but didn't make any rash moves.

"Toothless…" Hiccup's voice was tense as his dragon got ready to fire.

"Ryker." Viggo called out, and his brother unsheathed his sword, pointing it at the buffalord and drawing back his arm, ready to strike.

"No!" Hiccup shouted.

"I would think twice about your actions, Hiccup."

"And your profits?" Hiccup asked, trying to find some way to get at Viggo without losing the buffalord.

"Like I said, business is business. This? Oh, it's a loss I'm willing to incur. Question is, are you?" Aran had to admit, he makes a very good antagonist. Astrid shuddered at his side, drawing Hiccup's attention.

"Okay, Viggo. Okay, you win. Take him. Take the dragon." The smirk grew on the bearded man's face. "But leave us with what we came for, the Scourge antidote. Buffalord saliva. I'm not leaving here without it. That's a loss I'm **not** willing to take."

"No…" Astrid's voice was weak as she reached a limp arm out. "Hiccup… Don't give him… Not for me…" She dropped her arm, and Aran squeezed her shoulder gently. He looked at Hiccup and nodded solemnly.

"Do we have a deal? Or are we both leaving here empty-handed? Your call."

Viggo quirked a brow, debating with himself, before he held his right hand up. Ryker brought his sword away from the buffalord as Hiccup and Toothless landed. Hiccup collected the saliva, trying to keep the nerves off of his face. He really hoped this gamble was paying off… As much as he needed Astrid alive, he would feel horrible if the buffalord came to an unfortunate fate.

"I've truly missed our time together, Hiccup. My brother leaves something to be desired in the repartee department." Ryker made an irritated face in Viggo's general direction. "My boy, don't look so morose." Hiccup finished collecting the saliva. "It takes all the fun out of it." Hiccup began to walk away. "All's well that ends well. Hmm?" Viggo shrugged his shoulders, unaware of Hiccup's true intentions.

He made the walk to Astrid quickly, quietly thanking Aran for trying to keep her warm. Aran only smiled in concern, glancing at Astrid as she shuddered, and Hiccup tipped the cup into her mouth. She drank with no problems as Hiccup shushed her, and when she finished, she began to pry her beautiful blue eyes open. When she spoke again, her voice sounded less dry already.

"Hiccup, I think… I think…" She smiled slightly.

"It's working." He smiled back.

"She's already warming up!"

Aran started smiling too. In fact, all of them did. Astrid stood up, allowing Aran to support her so as to not fall over. She smiled at each and every one of her friends as she shakily walked towards Stormfly, allowing Aran's jacket to fall from her shoulders. Stormfly practically purred as she nuzzled her rider, who was hugging her with what could only be described as relief. It was a soft moment.

"I'm afraid our time must end, Hiccup." Viggo's voice echoed from far off. "We will continue our contest in due time." He turned to leave.

"He won't get far. Let's go after him!" Tuffnut said, him, his twin, and Snotlout looking ready to fly after him.

"Yeah!" Snotlout shouted in agreement as Hiccup walked forward. "I'm sick of that smug-"

"No." Hiccup held a hand out to him. "Stand down. We agreed to let him leave the island with that dragon, and that's exactly what we're gonna do."

"But Hiccup-" Astrid's voice wasn't quite as weak, and she was recovering quickly, though she used Stormfly for support.

"Wait!" Fishlegs had a look of realization on his face before he looked content. "The buffalord doesn't leave its island."

"So what you're saying is, the buff is gonna break out all by itself?" Snotlout questioned, disbelief on his face.

"That's exactly what I'm hoping for." Hiccup stated, eyes focused on where the hunters had left from.

It didn't take too long to hear screams, shouts, explosions, and the sounds of destruction. While the couldn't exactly see the buffalord wreaking havoc, it was pretty obvious what had happened. Especially when the beast flew back to them, body puffed up like a balloon before it landed and deflated, munching on the herbs like nothing happened. The group smiled before they all collectively remembered the boat that had caused all the trouble in the first place, and they followed Astrid and Stormfly to the fishing boat she'd contracted the illness in.

Keeping their distance, they shot flaming arrows towards the vessel as Astrid recited a simple speech to bid them farewell in Valhalla. It was the first viking funeral Aran had ever been to, and despite not knowing the fishermen, he found tears springing up in his eyes. Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins flew off quietly, not wanting to stick around, but Aran, Astrid, and Hiccup didn't move. Aran let them have a quiet moment together as he stared into the flames. When Astrid flew off, Hiccup inched closer to Aran. He cleared his throat when the redhead didn't notice him.

"You okay?" Aran glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

" _I don't know. That was terrifying, honestly. Astrid was so cold… I honestly didn't think she was going to make it. I can only imagine what it must have been like for you._ " He rubbed his arms through his jacket.

"It was… terrifying." He agreed, not able to think of a better word. "Astrid is one of my best friends. If her, or… you, or Toothless, or really any of us… died, I-I don't know how I would handle that."

"Well, you don't have to deal with any of that." Aran smiled. "I think I want to start looking into medicine. None of us really know anything about that, and if Snotlout hadn't had to go all the way to Berk and back to find out what the cure was, I don't think it would have taken so long to figure out what the cure was. We could have gotten to the buffalord faster." Hiccup frowned.

"But Viggo-"

"Viggo couldn't have taken the thing if he tried his hardest." Hiccup had to agree with that. "I just think, well, maybe I should spend some time with Gothi. I don't want to leave the Edge for too long, but maybe she has some books, or she can write them, so I can learn up and make sure nothing like this happens again."

"I think that's a great idea." Hiccup smiled at him. "Come on, let's get back to the Edge. I don't think you've slept in three days, and you must be exhausted."

Aran laughed at that. While it was true, he hadn't realized he was tired until Hiccup brought it up. He almost fell asleep on his way back to Dragon's Edge, and practically collapsed on his bed when he reached it. By the time his head touched the pillow, he was already fast asleep, plans in his mind to leave for Berk as soon as he could the very next day.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,920**_

 **Don't worry, Aran going back to Berk is just an excuse to skip 'A Grim Retreat' and go to straight to Heather haha, he's not gonna disappear for another three years :p**

 **Why do I make all my OCs into doctors? It's almost like... there are never any medic characters in things... huh... how inconvenient...**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed! See you next time!**


	24. To Heather or Not to Heather

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn except like Gothi knows dragonese according to the wiki and that's hilarious so maybe).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

In the time Aran spent back on Berk, he managed to learn useful things from Gothi about medicine, as well as convince her to let him look at her notes and copy them. What she didn't have written down, he documented himself after figuring out how to decipher what she scribbled in the dirt with her stick. Not wanting to stay away from the dragon riders for too long, he left for Dragon's Edge as soon as he had everything written down. He planned on learning from her notes that he'd transcribed and fashioned into several volumes of text. Luckily, writing everything down didn't take much more than a month, and he was soon returning to the Edge.

He was greeted by the sight of Snotlout and the twins pestering Fishlegs about the terror mail he'd apparently been getting. Not wanting to get involved in that, Aran dismounted Méaróg as soon as they landed, telling his brother to go rest his wings after the long flight. He greeted Astrid, who seemed somewhat lost in thought before smiling at him. She got down from her seat to greet him properly, actually hugging back for once when he pulled her into his arms with a laugh. Astrid asked him if he'd gotten what he needed from Gothi, and he nodded, waving her off as she thanked him for his help when she'd contracted the Scourge of Odin. He asked where Hiccup was, and she could only shrug, saying he should be back before it got dark. With nothing better to do, he settled down outside the clubhouse (it was a rather nice day) and began to study Gothi's teachings. He was shaken from his thoughts several hours later by a familiar nasally voice.

"Aran?" Aran looked up to see Hiccup. He smiled.

"Hiccup!" The shorter male sprung to his feet, latching himself onto Hiccup in an affectionate hug that lasted perhaps the slightest bit too long. "I was back after a month, just like I promised." He joked, not pulling away until after he felt Hiccup return the hug.

"And here I was worried I'd have to wait until I was twenty one to see you again." They smiled at each other. "I'm assuming everything turned out fine with Gothi?"

"Yeah! I was just reading about some simple cures for burns and stuff. I actually found out how to make that burn salve I brought with me to Berk five years ago."

The two of them caught up, talking about everything Aran had learned thus far in addition to everything that had happened with the riders in the time they'd been apart. Apparently the others convinced Hiccup they needed a vacation and he'd relented, only to get their dragons infested with parasites that hate salt. It was an interesting to learn. Upon seeing the twins, Aran pulled both of them down into a hug, and the two of them began shouting and attacking each other until he couldn't breathe through his laughter, releasing them. They didn't stop fighting each other until they realized who had hugged them, at which point they excitedly launched into a story involving Chicken and a different small bird. Aran greeted Snotlout with a hug as well, immediately receiving a violent shove as he was kind of threatening his masculinity. To soothe his nerves, he decided to turn it into a headlock, teasing him about how he was the only one still shorter than him. Fishlegs responded to his hug with mild surprise, but hugged back excitedly, and the two of them began talking about nerdy things that they'd learned.

Several days passed without incident, until Snotlout and the twins manually chased down a terrible terror carrying mail for Fishlegs. Curious, Aran followed Hiccup and Astrid in chasing after the terrible trio who had been hunting the terrible terror. When he arrived, he was greeted by the lovely sight of Snotlout biting Fishlegs's right arm, Ruffnut pulling on his left, while Tuffnut stayed on the large boy's stomach in an attempt to pull his left boot off. Aran blinked as Fishlegs's assured them that this was fine. One of Tuff's arms shot up, clutching a terror mail.

"Ha! The fishmeister has been getting quite the bevy of terror mails, lately." The three of them stood, dusting themselves off.

"And since **we** haven't been sending them…" Snotlout turned to look at Tuffnut, passing the speech to him.

"That begs the question," He lifted the scroll. "Who is our sly little friend communicating with on the… sly?"

"Uh-huh." Ruffnut nodded, standing uncomfortably close to Fishlegs as he got to his feet

"And, because he won't give up a name…" Snotlout trailed off.

" **We** decided to take matters into our own hands." She leaned her face closer to Fishlegs, who looked rather uncomfortable.

"Okay, **fine,** if you must know-"

"Oh, we must!" Tuffnut exclaimed. "We must."

"Yes, yes, we must!" Ruffnut agreed.

"Guys, Fishlegs doesn't have to tell you unless he **wants** to. It's his personal, private business." Hiccup defended, though Aran could see the curiosity in his eyes.

"Well said, Hiccup." The blond boy looked smug, but the terrible trio gave him pointed looks. Hiccup looked at him expectantly despite the words that had just spewed from his mouth, and Aran almost laughed at Fishlegs's resigned sigh. "I've been corresponding with a certain someone, who… has been returning my terror mails in kind. You happy?"

"Didn't we already know that?" Aran asked, but everyone kind of ignored him because what Astrid said next was much more interesting. He supposed it was fair.

"Are you saying what I **think** you're saying?"

"Fishy's got a girlfriend!" Snotlout chanted, Tuffnut laughing alongside him. They high fived after a very strange but very short dance.

"Yeah! It's fun to make fun of people!" They high fived again. "Yeah!"

"Who is she, Fishlegs?" Astrid questioned, teasing look evident on her face.

"Who said it's a she?" Snotlout laughed. Aran, Astrid, and Hiccup exchanged frowns, and Tuffnut's smile held an odd hint of confusion. Meatlug growled in a strange form of concern and curiosity.

"Uh, Fishlegs? Now, I have to admit, I am curious." Hiccup forced the smile off of his face.

"Okay, okay…" There was a pause. "It's Heather." Astrid gasped sharply, staring at Fishlegs with wide eyes. All teasing had left her, and Hiccup put a hand on her shoulder in a strangely comforting manner. Aran kind of wanted to ask, but knew it wasn't the time.

"Woah…" Ruffnut breathed out, and it seemed the entire group was surprised, but Aran couldn't see why. It wasn't as if he'd ever met Heather after all.

"So wait, you're telling me that **my** future wife, the **future** Mrs. Lout," Snotlout laughed. "Who just **disappeared** after the whole Viggo fiasco, you knew where to find her and you told exactly no one?" Aran frowned. That was kind of weird. Fishlegs clicked his tongue.

"Yuuup, pretty much." Snotlout growled.

"Look, guys, Heather is out on her own. She never stays in one place. We knew we'd hear from her eventually." Astrid crossed her arms, looking at the ground with a frown on her face.

"Yeah, but she and I have that connection. She should have written to me." Snotlout looked oddly thoughtful.

"Hey, Fishlegs, how many of these correspondences are we talking about?"

There wasn't anything teasing about Astrid's expression or tone of voice. Fishlegs reluctantly opened a chest full of scrolls, and the group decided to go ahead and read all of them. Well, the group minus Astrid, who just walked away. Her and Hiccup made eye contact when she left the room, but she shook her head. Aran wanted to follow her, but Hiccup told him she probably wanted to be alone. He vaguely wondered what was wrong with Astrid, but busied himself with snooping through Fishlegs's mail with the others.

Astrid had gone to her room to get her axe. She hated the feeling of jealousy, even moreso when she was jealous of one of her close friends. It lit a hot fire in her that wasn't satisfied when she swung her axe at a target, because she couldn't just **pretend** the target was Fishlegs. She liked Fishlegs, honestly. He was a great guy, and a kind person, and perfect for Heather. The two of them were good together, but that didn't stop her from resenting the fact that Heather had chosen him. Sure, she knew that Fishlegs was a more likely choice for her. Fishlegs could marry her, and the two of them could have kids together. They could get married without any stigma. Astrid, on the other hand? Astrid couldn't give her children, because Astrid wasn't a man.

She let a scream tear itself from her throat, angry at herself. If Heather was just some cute girl, she wouldn't care so much, but Heather was more than that. She was smart, and brave, and beautiful, but she could make the wrong choices at times, unafraid to stoop to terrible measures to achieve what she cares about, overly prideful at times, spiteful, and just so… Heather. Heather was Heather, and Astrid cared for her deeply. She knew what she felt for the other girl was more than just a simple crush, but she didn't quite want to call it love. If it was just a crush, she would be able to let it go and move on, leaving Heather and Fishlegs to be happy together, but it wasn't just a crush and she found herself not knowing what to do. After venting her anger through her axe, Astrid made a quick stop by her room to drop the weapon off before heading to the clubhouse. It seemed the others had spent a few hours reading all of Heather's letters to Fishlegs, and it was already dark out.

"Think about everything she's been through." She heard Fishlegs saying as she walked into the room. Her entrance was noted with nods of the head, but nobody said anything to her, which she was grateful for. "The only family she ever knew, gone. Then being out there, alone, by herself." Astrid bit her lip, wishing Heather had sent **her** the terror mail instead of Fishlegs, wondering why she hadn't. Did she trust him with her feelings more?

"And lest we not forget, or forget… finding out her brother is one Dagur the Deranged." Heather must have felt terrible over the past few months, and that made Astrid feel terrible as well.

"Yeah. I can't say I'd feel any different in her shoes." Hiccup stated.

"Shoe." Snotlout stated, looking up at his cousin before his gaze flicked down to the prosthetic. "Because you…" He pointed at it, then hopped on one foot. "Never mind." He grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Hey, Heather's risked her life to fight with us. She's helped us save countless dragons. She's the closest thing to actually **being** one of us. It just seems like we should **do** something to help." Hiccup scratched his chin thoughtfully, and Astrid momentarily distracted herself from jealous feelings to note how Aran subconsciously locked his eyes on his jawline. It was kind of cute that he didn't realize he was doing it.

"Well, hey, what about making her… one of us? Ask her to be a Dragon Rider."

"Oooh, Hiccup, I think asking Heather to join the riders would be amazing!" Fishlegs looked giddy, and Astrid resented the fact that she couldn't share his enthusiasm. "Besides, the nadder migration will be coming through here again and Windshear could be a **huge** help."

"Well, I think it's a terrible idea." Tuffnut butted in. "An awful, dreadful, unfathomable idea."

"Very funny. We're trying to have a serious conversation here." As much as she was frustrated with herself for her jealousy, she wouldn't let that get in the way of this discussion.

"So am I." Tuff insisted. "Look, you don't just get to **be** a dragon rider. I'm surprised **you** didn't know that. We've spent the last four years fighting the nastiest, smelliest, most disgusting and often insane dragons out there. How many times have we almost gotten killed doing it?"

"There was the screaming death, the whispering death, the Red Death, all the other deaths. And then there was-"

"We get it, Ruff." Astrid interrupted.

"So why does she get to waltz in here all of a sudden, like she's one of us? Doesn't seem fair to me. **Aran** isn't even an official dragon rider." Aran blinked upon being dragged into this, holding his hands up in surrender.

"I don't even want to be a dragon rider, thanks, I'll just be the dragon rider doctor." He mumbled under his breath.

"And besides, who said she'd even **want** to be a dragon rider? You know, it's not for everyone." Ruffnut looked at Aran, who just smiled a little uncomfortably. "I, myself, have had moments of doubt." Hiccup hummed, hand still on his chin, unaware of Aran's staring.

"You know, Tuff's right. About all of it." Tuff nodded, before registering what the fuck Hiccup just said and scrunching his face up in confusion.

"What?"

"Well, let's invite her to the Edge- just for a couple of days." Hiccup's hand finally left his chin as he walked about the room, gesturing with his hands as usual. "To hang out, see how she's doing. Maybe she helps us redirect those nadders." He stopped by Toothless, scratching his neck affectionately as he continued. "But nothing permanent happens without us **all** agreeing." Hiccup turned to face everyone. "Sound good?"

Everyone agreed on that, and the night before Heather said she would arrive, Astrid had some trouble sleeping. She wondered if she should bring anything up to the other girl, or let her feelings stew. When she finally drifted to sleep, it was with the thought that she would come clean to her about everything, and just accept it if she no longer wanted to be her friend. Unfortunately, her late night of thought lead to her oversleeping, and the next morning she scrambled to get ready. Her braid was messy, and she practically screamed as she redid it.

"Laochra?" Astrid blinked.

"Aran?" She vaguely recalled that being her nickname, but it was weird to hear it now that she was fluent in Irish.

"I heard you scream, are you okay?" Astrid felt her cheeks flush. Apparently her scream had actually escaped her.

"Yeah, it's just- I can't get my hair right. You can come in." Aran came in. "I don't know, I haven't seen Heather in months, I don't want to look like I overslept."

"I can do your braid for you." Astrid let out a sigh.

"Would you?"

"Only if you don't mind me putting these tiny wildflowers in it." Astrid tried to relax as she handed Aran her comb. "I've probably told you this, but Méaróg likes to bring me things he thinks I'll think are pretty? So this morning Hiccup and I woke up covering head to toe in flowers." Astrid chuckled, enjoying the feeling of him detangling her hair. "It was really funny, honestly. You should've seen Hiccup's face. He nearly choked, and Toothless all but panicked."

"You're lucky he's not allergic to anything." Aran laughed.

"Yeah, I suppose I am." He began the proper braiding process. "I told him I got all the flowers out of his hair, but I left a few behind his ear, where he can't see them. They're by those two cute little braids." Astrid hummed.

"I started doing those for him a couple years ago, when his hair got long enough. I'm sure you know how stressed he gets sometimes…" She assumed that he nodded. "It really calms him down if you mess with his hair."

"Well, the three of us can be matching flower braid buddies!" Aran grinned, finishing her braid. Astrid stood up, smiling at him in amusement when she noticed that he had a braid with flowers laced through in place of where his usual metal hair accessory was. "Méaróg lost it." He explained.

"You know, Heather always wears her hair in a braid. Maybe we can make it a quartet." Astrid suggested as the two of them left her hut. Not before she checked the braid, of course! Aran had really done a good job. When the two of them reached the landing area outside the stables, it seemed everyone was already there, including Heather.

"... and there's sort of a dance that I do along with it." Tuffnut seemed to be talking about something, and Astrid was quick to stop him from talking more.

"Yeah, I think Heather would rather set her gear down and get settled." She let a grin make its way onto her face as she practically ran towards Heather.

"Astrid!" Heather exclaimed, the two of them meeting in a tight hug. The blonde girl accidentally let out a sigh, and the hug lasted just the tiniest bit too long, but Astrid was certainly not complaining. When they broke apart, Heather's arm rested around her waist, the two of them standing closer than need be, and Astrid really hoped she wasn't blushing. "I'd love to hear your song later, Tuff."

"Good. Oh, Heather, you're gonna love it. And now I have time to warm up." He began babbling incoherently.

"Good idea."

Heather smiled in amusement as her hand drifted away from Astrid's waist, hands brushing together unnecessarily as she began walking. Astrid followed, feeling her heart beat faster than need be. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face, and while her determination to talk about her feelings had been set, her confidence in the outcome had been lacking. That wasn't the case anymore, considering how much Heather seemed to enjoy touching her. Not in that way! Astrid reprimanded her brain as her cheeks flushed. Windshear waited outside as Heather got her things settled. Heather sighed before Astrid walked over, handing her axe to her.

"You know, you could have come back with us in the first place." She crossed her arms as she spoke, not sure if this was the right time to bring things up. "You just disappeared. We didn't know what happened to you." Astrid furrowed her brows.

"And I feel terrible about that… But, I knew that you guys would just try to get me to stay. Sometimes… you need to be by yourself to figure things out." Astrid nodded in understanding, empathizing with her.

"You letters made it seem like you were struggling a lot." She'd gone back to look at them over the days leading up to Heather's arrival.

"You read those?" Heather almost sounded as if Astrid had betrayed her trust, and she supposed she had, in a way.

"I-I was worried about you- we all were. We just wanted to know what was going on." Astrid averted her gaze, but forced herself to look at her as her sentence drew to a close.

"It was weird. A-all that time with Dagur, we were… playing a part. I didn't have a minute to think about the fact that he is **actually** my brother."

"Maybe you shouldn't think about it, then." She stepped closer, though she didn't think Heather noticed.

"I have to, Astrid. What if I have that Berserker insanity inside me?" She inhaled sharply, looking down. "What if, deep down, I'm just like him?"

"Heather." Astrid meant to put her hand on her shoulder, she really did. Instead, she found herself cupping her cheek. "You are **nothing** like Dagur." Whatever the rest of the sentence was supposed to be died in her throat, and she was acutely aware that the space between them was dwindling to nothing.

"A-Astrid, what about Hiccup?" Heather's eyes were wide, but she wasn't trying to push her away at all.

"What about him?" She murmured.

That was the last thing either of them said before their lips met in a gentle kiss. Neither of them had particularly soft lips, due to the unfortunate climates they lived in, but soft was somehow the only word Astrid could think of to describe the kiss. It wasn't wet, and neither of them pressed for it to go further than it already had. Their arms snaked around each other, and when they pulled away, it was slow, almost reluctant, as if they'd only just realized that they were meant to be together. Sky blue eyes stared into deep green ones, and both of their cheeks were dusted with pink. It took a moment for either of them to speak, and when they did, it was at the same time.

"I thought you-"

"I'm sorry, you're-" They looked at each other, cheeks colouring even more as they silently decided to move to sit on Astrid's bed. Heather motioned for her to go first. "You're… you and Fishlegs." She finished simply.

"Well… You and Hiccup." She shot back. Astrid chuckled.

"Honestly, Hiccup is like a brother to me. Our relationship is kind of just an excuse for nobody to pressure us to find someone to be with. Neither of us really want… **that** kind of significant other." She hoped Heather understood, and from her nod it seemed she did.

"Gods… And here I thought you two were going to get married and have kids, and…" Astrid shuddered, then silently prompted her to say what she had to say. "Fishlegs is…" Heather groaned, putting her face in her hands. Astrid rubbed her back. "I like… both of you. The same amount." The comforting motions stopped. "I just thought my chances with him would be better, so I… But now, you're both…" Heather groaned again.

"Fishlegs is… a really good guy. I understand wanting to be with him over, well, me. Not because I think I'd be a bad girlfriend, I just know it'd be… easier." Heather sighed.

"If I had the choice, I'd just be with both of you." She grumbled. "I don't know what to do anymore." Astrid blinked.

"What if… you **did** have the choice to be with both of us?" Heather gave Astrid an odd look. "No, no, hear me out. I believe you when you say you like both of us the same amount. If it's okay with Fishlegs, then… Well, I wouldn't be against you being with him too." Heather blinked, a slow smile stretching across her face.

"Thanks, Astrid." She hugged her not-quite-friend, not-quite-girlfriend tightly. "Oh, and by the way, I like the flowers. Why'd you wear them?" Heather flicked the braid as she stood up, and Astrid practically giggled.

"Oh, I just wanted to look a bit nicer when you saw me." Astrid admitted. "If Aran has any more, we can match."

"I'd like that. Who's Aran, anyways?"

"Oh, he's the person Hiccup completely refuses to confess to." Astrid rolled her eyes, knowing that Hiccup wouldn't appreciate her telling anyone this, but knowing Heather wouldn't judge or tell anyone. Plus, she **really** needed to complain to someone other than Stormfly about the situation. "I have to break up with him, don't I." She wasn't looking forward to that at all.

"Let's cross that bridge when we get there." Heather smiled at her, entwining their fingers as they left Astrid's hut and made their way towards the clubhouse in the dark.

Astrid quickly discovered that Heather is an amazing cook. She stayed in the clubhouse with her as she cooked the yak chops, allowing herself to openly stare at the other girl. Heather shot her a shy smile at her likely lovesick expression, and Astrid gave her a playfully flirty wave that had her snorting with laughter and nearly ruining the food. It was amusing. When she was almost finished cooking, Astrid got up from her seat to give her a soft peck on the cheek, and the two of them couldn't keep the smiles off of their faces. Astrid quickly stepped away when she heard footsteps approaching, and Heather returned to setting the 'table' for the dragon riders.

"Oh, my Thor, what is that smell?" Snotlout shouted after sniffing very loudly. Hiccup walked in behind him, followed by Aran.

"Dinner! We were hungry. Figured you would be too."

She finished setting the table, patting Astrid's shoulder for no particular reason. The group situated themselves around the table, Heather grabbing a seat in between Astrid and Fishlegs. On Astrid's other side sat Hiccup, then Aran. Snotlout was beside Aran, and the twins predictably sat next to each other. They'd gotten about halfway through the meal when the cries of uncountable numbers of nadders sounded from the sky. They were visible even though it was so dark out. Heather was quickly informed that the group was helping the nadders migrate, but she quickly rejected helping out. Aran opted out of going with them, as he wasn't used to any missions of the sort. He also said Méaróg had pulled a muscle in his wing the previous day anyways, and he needed to make sure he was well rested. Fishlegs offered to stay behind and keep Heather company, and though Snotlout tried to butt in and join, Astrid quickly shot him down. Her and Heather made eye contact, exchanging understanding nods before flicking their eyes towards an unaware Fishlegs. The group left soon after that, and Heather and Fishlegs stood quietly for a moment. He looked nervous, while she looked thoughtful.

"So! How about a tour of the Edge?" He asked, looking and sounding jittery. "I was a guide back on Berk, you know."

"Wow, thats…" She paused. "Impressive. Can we talk? On the way?"

"Umm, okay…" His face fell, and Heather felt some panic rise in her.

"No, no, not in a bad way! At least, I don't think it's a bad way…" They began walking, Heather biting her lip.

"Well, I'm all ears, Heather." Fishlegs smiled at him. He would understand, right?

"Astrid and I… kind of kissed earlier." That probably was **not** the best way to start things, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Okay…" He said slowly, and Heather peeked an eye open. He didn't look angry, so she continued.

"So, I… I definitely like her romantically, but… I also like you, Fishlegs. Just as much as I like her." He nodded. "I don't want to choose between the two of you, and Astrid told me that… if it's okay with you then, she wouldn't mind me being with both of you at the same time." She smiled nervously, and Fishlegs nodded again.

"Well… That's certainly not what I was expecting." Heather swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'll have to think about it. What about Hiccup?"

"Oh, he's… Astrid is going to break things off with him if things work out. She never liked him in that way." Heather knew it definitely wasn't her place to out Hiccup to Fishlegs, though she hoped he would be able to tell everyone in the group eventually.

"I hope everything turns out okay." She nodded in agreement, and Fishlegs cleared his throat. "Shall we commence with the tour?" He asked, holding his arm out. Heather giggled, accepting the offered arm.

"We shall indeed!"

They continued with the tour, Fishlegs showing her around Dragon's Edge. He showed her the location he'd chosen for her to build her hut, and while Heather had been unsure as to whether or not she'd planned on staying before, now she knew what she wanted. That is, if everything worked it with her, Astrid, and Fishlegs. And if Windshear could get along with all the other dragons. That became her main concern as Windshear and Meatlug got into a small spat. Over the course of the next couple days, her attention was focused solely on getting Windshear to get along with the others. It was a trying time, but eventually, just as she was ready to give up, Fishlegs came up with the idea to switch dragons to help Windshear trust them as she worked to protect her rider. With Heather's help, the dragon riders managed to drive off a dragon hunter ship, as well as safely oversee the nadder migration.

As the group was celebrating with a welcome-to-the-team dinner, however, a terrible terror flew in and dropped a message from Dagur right in front of Hiccup. After informing the group that Dagur was requesting their help in finding Heather, Hiccup reassured her that she was one of them now, and if she didn't want to be found, him and the others would do everything in their power to keep her hidden. Despite her new troubles springing up from the idea of her brother searching for her, Heather couldn't help but feel touched that she was part of a group like this now. It almost felt like she had a real family that cared about her again.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,804**_

 **This. This was a fun chapter. Like, really fun lmao. I know I like, skimmed over half of the episode with the last two paragraphs, but literally none of that was important in terms of what I needed to say in the story? so yeah... I hope you guys appreciate Heatstrid and whatever Heather and Fishlegs's ship name is because I'm gonna have both of those. At the same time. Because I believe polyamory is a FINE thing if all people involved are aware of what's going on! So yeah. If you want me to budge on that, too bad.**

 **Anyways, I might have a chapter of drama between this one and the next? Also, as much as I don't want to, I think I'm gonna skip 'Stryke Out' because, while it is a lovely episode and I love putting my favorite characters in vulnerable positions, most of the episode is all Hiccup, and the other characters don't really factor in like at all. There's not much flexibility with it, and having Aran there wouldn't really change anything. Plus, Hiccup doesn't want Viggo to know about Aran unless it's absolutely necessary, and the only way I could change the episode is have Aran help save Hiccup, and though Viggo isn't in the episode, Ryker is, so that wouldn't work. It just... in general, does not work well with my fic. I love the episode tho bc kidnapping shit is A+++ so I might write a separate (MUCH shorter) fic that involves Hiccup being kidnapped if I feel up for it :p He wouldn't have Toothless with him tho and it would probably be much darker than what happens in the show haha**

 **As such, the next episode I'm covering is Tone Death! I'm excite! Aran gets to sing the Jonsi songs because I love those songs and I say so :')**

 **[EDIT: I changed my mind about Tone Death. I'll mention it happening and that Aran got v attached to a deathsong hatchling, but I won't dedicate a chapter to it]**

 **Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was an absolute JOY to write, and I'm ahh! See you next time!**


	25. A Break for Drama

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn except like Gothi knows dragonese according to the wiki and that's hilarious so maybe).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Heather stayed in Astrid's room, as had been agreed on previously, but there was a tension around them that the others weren't sure the cause of. Fishlegs knew it was because he hadn't given the two of them an answer yet, though. It was a tough call for him. He had nothing against the idea of two females being together (he himself had never cared much about gender, having fallen for Heather for her personality), but the thought of sharing her affections was difficult. Astrid surely had the same misgivings, but even she was willing to compromise, so maybe he could try it out? If things didn't work out with the three of them, he would be willing to try and let her go so the two of them could be happy without him involved, as much as the idea didn't appeal to him.

The decision hadn't come to him yet when suddenly, the group was busy saving a kidnapped Hiccup from a gladiator-style Dragon Fight arena hosted by the dragon hunters. He busied his thoughts with that, as well as trying to figure out what to do with the dragon hunters, but by the time he decided it might be time to think about Heather, the group found itself in possession of a baby deathsong dubbed Garffiljorg by Tuffnut. That fiasco wound up being one of the first times Aran went with the riders on a mission. Everyone in the group had been taking turns singing to the screeching hatchling, and he'd gotten very attached to it in the process. The songs he'd sung had been mostly English, with a strangely familiar nordic language that wasn't quite their own. When asked where in Hel's name he'd picked up the songs, Aran could only shrug, vaguely saying something about a man named Jónsi he'd met once. Regardless, Aran had almost cried when they had to let Garff go. He got over it eventually, but Fishlegs thought he saw several drawings of the baby deathsong in Aran's sketchbook.

Surprisingly enough, it was the deathsong incident that told Fishlegs what his next course of action was. He woke up the next morning with the intent of searching for Heather. He found her where they held the 'beat the dome' exercise, affectionately washing Windshear's metal scales as she hummed to herself. Heather really took care of her dragon, Fishlegs had noticed over the time he'd known her. He's quite sure he's never seen a razorwhip with such a clean, shiny hide. She didn't notice him approach, but Windshear had her eyes trained on him. Fishlegs cleared his throat to make his appearance known, and Heather was so startled she dropped her sponge to the ground. The two of them had a flustered moment as they both apologized and knelt down to pick up the sponge at the same time, nearly giving each other concussions. When the sponge was safely placed in the bucket of soapy water Heather had been using, Fishlegs cleared his throat once more.

"So, I've been thinking about your proposal…" Heather blinked, and he noticed her hands clenched together tightly in anticipation. "And… my answer is yes." She breathed a sigh of relief, throwing her arms around him.

"Thank you so much, I know this can't be easy for either of you." The guilt was evident in her voice as he patted her on the back.

"It might be a little hard to wrap my head around at first, but I'm sure things will feel easier as time passes? Astrid is one of my closest friends, and I wouldn't want to take the girl of her dreams away from her. And I knew I couldn't just let you go after everything with Garffiljorg." She pulled away from him, not understanding.

"What about Garffiljorg?"

"After seeing you take care of him and act so… motherly, I couldn't imagine life without you in it." Heather blushed, ducking her head as a smile crept onto her cheeks.

"We should go tell Astrid. I know she's been dying to know your answer." She grabbed his hand, the two of them beginning to walk.

"Oh, and maybe the three of us can go on a date! To test the waters?" Heather nodded.

"What do you have in mind?" Fishlegs looked a little shy.

"Well, Astrid and I already spend time together meditating. I was hoping you could join us?" He asked hesitantly.

"That sounds great. I hope things work out." Her lips twitched into an uncertain smile. "I'm really, really sorry to ask this of you."

"No, no, it's fine! As long as I get to be with you… and maybe Astrid and I will get even closer this way." The last thing was something he thought up on the spot, but now that he'd thought of it, he hoped that would happen indeed.

"It's better than the alternative." Heather pointed out, and he had to agree.

The two of them directed the conversation to more pleasant pursuits, sharing amusing stories they had of their dragons. Reaching Astrid's hut showed that she wasn't there, though that was to be expected at this time of day. Hiccup was holed up in his hut making changes to the sword he'd dubbed 'Inferno' so they didn't want to bother him about it. They doubted the twins or Snotlout would know where she went, so their only option then was to ask Aran. Aran was sitting cross legged on the flight deck outside the stables, barefoot as he played his tin whistle. There was a book beside him he'd abandoned nearly an hour ago that was all about identifying wild herbs and berries. It had come in great use when he had to make an ointment for a wound on Toothless's leg earlier. The night fury had sustained rather deep scratches from a razorwhip while fighting in the arena, and it was thanks to Aran that they didn't get infected.

Not wanting to interrupt the Irish boy's playing, they waited for him to finish the piece he'd been in the middle of. As soon as his mouth left the instrument, he turned to look at them, curiosity on his face. Heather stepped forward to ask where Astrid could be, and Aran informed them that she'd gone on a quick patrol around the island and would be back soon. Fishlegs and Heather had a very quiet discussion about what to do next, and they decided that Heather would wait for Astrid outside the stables while Fishlegs went to his own hut to get things ready for what they were beginning to call their 'medidate'. Aran raised a brow as Heather sat beside him, and she explained that she was waiting for Astrid so she could tell her something and meet with Fishlegs. He hummed slightly in confirmation that he'd heard her before idly fingering notes on the whistle without blowing any air.

The silence wasn't exactly awkward, but it wasn't the most comfortable either. Aran had been in Ireland when Heather first met the group, and when she ran into them again a couple years later. A few months ago, they still hadn't had the chance to meet because Aran hadn't gone with the riders to face off against Viggo. The two had only known each other for a few weeks now, and while Aran had heard about Heather beforehand, Heather hadn't even really known he existed before she arrived at the Edge. He seemed kind enough, and she could understand why Hiccup (according to Astrid) was 'completely in love' with him. Aran clearly shared Hiccup's affections, and was much worse at hiding them. Heather suspected that she would have been able to tell even if Astrid hadn't flat out told her a few weeks back.

Knowing there were certain complications to the two's relationship did nothing to help Heather feel especially comfortable with Aran, though. If she was being honest, she had absolutely no idea what the two of them could possibly talk about. Heather drew her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees as she let her green eyes scan the sky. She hoped Astrid wouldn't take too long, because she was ready for the slight air of awkwardness between them to dissipate. Luckily, Astrid returned within an hour, and Heather eagerly jumped to her feet as her soon-to-be-girlfriend dismounted Stormfly. The blonde girl wasn't prepared for the tight hug Heather gave her, and nearly stumbled in her haste to return it. Heather laughed, leaving a brief kiss on her cheek before letting her bring Stormfly to her stable.

"What's got **you** so excited?" Astrid questioned as Heather grabbed her hand and began leading the two of them to Fishlegs's hut.

"Fishlegs said yes!" It took Astrid a moment to process what that meant, but a grin spread across her face as soon as she understood, and Heather was suddenly aware that she was being kissed. She laughed after they pulled apart. "If it's alright with you, we were thinking the three of us could meditate together."

"Like a medidate?" She joked, and Heather rolled her eyes.

"I would judge you, but that **is** what we've been calling it. I mean, if you want to join us, that is." Astrid grabbed her hand.

"Of course I want to join you! Fishlegs and I used to meditate together before you came along and confused our poor hearts." She leaned over and kissed Heather's cheek. "It's fine, though. I think I like having my heart confused if it's going to lead to this." Heather laughed.

The medidate went wonderfully. Fishlegs already had things set up when the two girls arrived, and him and Astrid were more than happy to teach Heather how things were done. They weren't quite sure what to tell the others, if they were being honest. While it was true Hiccup and Aran wouldn't care about the two girls being together (Astrid had made that **very** clear), the same couldn't be said for Snotlout and the twins. Nobody was really quite sure if Tuffnut even understood the concept of romance, but there was a chance Ruffnut would find it odd, considering how aggressively into guys she seemed. Snotlout had teased Fishlegs with the suggestion that his pen pal might not be female upon discovering his terror mails, but the thinking back on it, the three of them couldn't even decide if it had been malicious teasing or not.

Of course, then there was the issue of Astrid breaking up with Hiccup. She still hadn't done it, for reasons unknown to the other two. Her reason for taking so long rested solely in the fact that Hiccup had very firmly made it clear that he definitely didn't want to break off their little arrangement. She didn't want to jeopardize her friendship with him, but it wouldn't be right to stay in the fake relationship if they wanted to come clean about Heather's relationships with the two of them. It wasn't until after the group got a pair of catastrophic quakens to destroy a marble fort Viggo had been building that she decided to say anything to Hiccup.

"Hey, Hiccup." She said, her voice soft as she entered his hut a night soon after the quaken incident, glad that Aran wasn't there at the moment. This was definitely not a conversation to be had with him around. "Can we talk?"

"Uh, sure, what is it?" He sensed that this was going to be a serious conversation, so he stopped scribbling in his journal. Astrid crossed her arms, not meeting his eyes, and he couldn't keep the frown off of his face because that was not the look of someone bearing good news.

"So, I know that in the past, we kind of joked about getting divorced a lot…" His eyebrows furrowed immediately, not liking where this was going already.

"No." He said simply, and Astrid looked at him, soft look replaced by something harsher.

" **You** don't get to decide whether or not **I'm** breaking up with you." She snapped, immediately biting her lip because that was **not** how she'd been planning on saying it. Hiccup looked down at the table he had his journal on, busying himself with organizing his notes so he didn't have to look at her.

"We had a deal, and I didn't agree to this." After trying to date each other for a year, they had decided their relationship could be nothing more than an excuse to avoid trying to find an actual romantic partner, because they knew nobody they would be allowed to be with would suit their tastes.

"Well maybe I don't want to be your gods damned **security blanket** when the girl of my dreams **actually** likes me back!" It took more effort than it should have not to yell that, and Hiccup took a deep breath. "Look, I'm sorry, Hiccup, but I want to be **happy** with her. Sure, I have to share her with Fishlegs, but honestly? I don't care as much as I thought I would. I just want to be open about our relationship, and I can't do that if everyone thinks I'm dating you!"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you-" He cut himself off. "Just… go away, Astrid." His voice softened at the end.

"Hic, I'm sorry…" She reached a hand out towards him, but didn't move from her spot several feet away. When he didn't respond, she kept talking, not wanting her best friend to be angry with her. "I-if you'd broken up with me for Aran, I would have understood." Clearly that was the wrong thing to say.

"I **can't** break up with you for Aran. I can't **be** with Aran." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Here I was thinking everything was fine, I could just push all my feelings down and squash them to dust, and maybe- just **maybe** they'd go away eventually, and-and if they didn't well hey, I'd always have you to fall back on, but now?" Hiccup finally turned his head to look at her, and she winced at the hurt in his eyes. "I just thought you were someone I could rely on."

"Hiccup, you **can** rely on me, just not… not like this. You can still talk to me about everything, and- just, please don't…" She wasn't sure what she was asking him not to do. Not to look so hurt? That'd be unfair of her. "... I'm sorry."

"I'm going to bed." He rubbed one of his eyes.

"You haven't had dinner yet."

"Oddly enough, I think I've lost my appetite."

"... Good night?"

Astrid didn't receive a response as Hiccup went up to his bed. She sighed, finding that she didn't have much of an appetite either, but that didn't stop her from going to the clubhouse. Heather had recently finished cooking, and it seemed everyone but Hiccup was there, enjoying the food. Upon noticing her girlfriend arrive, Heather smiled, but it immediately fell when she saw the clear unhappiness marring her face. Astrid sat down, moving her chair extremely close to her before resting her head on her shoulder without any care for what the others might think. Heather put an arm around her waist, asking her if she was hungry, but she shook her head.

Fishlegs shot Heather a curious look, but she could only shake her head, not knowing anymore than he did. In fact, most of the riders sent concerned glances their way. Astrid generally wasn't one to be so miserable, and even if she was, she wouldn't show the whole group. It must be something terrible to affect her so deeply, and even if they weren't the most sensitive people, they weren't **complete** idiots (despite what one may think). Heather finished her food quickly, not wanting to sour the mood in the clubhouse for too long, and she gently nudged Astrid, asking if she wanted to talk. Astrid nodded, and the two of them excused themselves for the night, Heather keeping an arm around Astrid's waist as they left.

That night, Astrid told Heather exactly what had transpired between her and Hiccup, and her worries that she'd just lost one of her closest friends. Hiccup laid in his bed, wide awake as his mind wouldn't stay quiet, thinking about every romantic problem he was currently involved with, regretting his reaction with Astrid, feeling guilty, angry, sad, and betrayed. Fishlegs worried over the situation, wanting to know what had set Astrid off, needing to know if it was indeed because of Hiccup. Aran, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut sat in a concerned quiet, all humorous conversation having died out. The four of them were completely in the dark about everything that was going on.

Aran grew increasingly concerned when Hiccup didn't show up for dinner at any point, but when he returned to their shared room, all the lights were blown out. He tripped over something in the dark, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. When he finally made it to his bed, he listened to the sound of Hiccup's uneven breathing. It was clear that the younger male was definitely awake, but when he called his name, he received no response. Tomorrow. He would have to talk to him tomorrow. And maybe try to talk to Astrid. Or Heather? But Heather would be less likely to talk to him… He should just focus on trying to talk to Hiccup for now. Astrid had Heather to confide in, and he wasn't completely sure that something had happened between her and Hiccup, but he had more than a strong suspicion.

Sleep didn't come particularly easily, and he almost felt that he had to fight for it. When he woke up in the morning, he was more than a little surprised to see Hiccup still in bed, though he was definitely awake. Hiccup usually woke up early and stayed out for a few hours to ride Toothless, so it was odd to see him with his blanket covering his legs as he sat up and fiddled with Inferno. He looked tired, thoughtful, and frustrated. Aran wondered how much sleep he'd managed to get, and if he'd gotten out of bed to fly Toothless. Shaking his head, he stood from his own bed, taking a couple steps towards his friend. Calling his name did no good, and Aran frowned before heading towards the clubhouse. It seemed Heather had already prepared breakfast, but her and Astrid were nowhere to be seen. The twins probably weren't awake yet, and Snotlout was busy with something likely unimportant. Fishlegs was the only one there, and the two of them shared looks of malcontent.

Aran got two plates of food before going back to his and Hiccup's room. Considering the fact that Hiccup had skipped out on dinner last night, he suspected he was probably hungry. It didn't seem like the brunet had moved from his spot on his bed, thankfully, and Aran sat behind him at the head of the bed. Hiccup had been leaning forward, and left a convenient stretch of unused bedding behind him. He stopped messing with Inferno, putting it somewhere before shifting so his back was to the wall and not to Aran. There was a moment of silence between them as Aran passed him the plate he'd gotten for him. They ate without a word, and Aran settled so he wasn't at the edge of the bed.

"You okay?"

Hiccup shifted slightly, looking away from him. His shoulders were tense, and he busied himself with putting his used plate off to the side. It didn't seem like he was planning on answering, so Aran wracked his brain for anything he could ask or talk about to get a response. He didn't want to talk about Astrid yet, because she probably had something to do with why he was out of it. He looked around, eyes settling on Toothless's slab of rock that he always slept on. The night fury wasn't there.

"Did you ride Toothless this morning?" Aran moved to set his plate on top of Hiccup's before settling back to his seat. Hiccup nodded, and for a moment Aran feared that was all he would get out of him.

"It was a short flight. He's probably not happy with me." There wasn't much more to be said on that subject.

"You didn't show up for dinner."

"Did Astrid?" Aran nodded.

"She didn't eat anything, though. Just came in and cuddled up to Heather. None of us really know what's going on, but she looked upset." Hiccup sighed, rubbing his hand on his face. "What happened with you two?"

"She broke up with me last night." Aran had not been expecting that, and it took him a moment to respond.

"Oh, Hic, I'm so sorry…" He moved to wrap his arms around the other male, and Hiccup very hesitantly hugged back. Aran didn't move. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really. I… I'm happy for her. She's with Heather."

"I thought Heather was with Fishlegs?" Hiccup hummed.

"She is. She's with both of them."

"... I forgot that you guys do that. Back home that's considered kinda sinful and terrible." Aran quickly continued speaking before he could say anything. "Not that I'm against it! I'm just not used to it." Hiccup didn't say anything, and Aran gently reached a hand up to his hair, remembering what Astrid had said to him before. "Do you want me to take out your braids?"

"... Yeah." The two backed away from each other.

"Here, put your head in my lap. You seem kinda stressed."

Hiccup hesitated, biting his lip slightly before cautiously lying down, facing away from the wall and away from him. Aran's thighs made a surprisingly soft pillow, and his hands wasted no time in reaching for his braids. He vaguely registered that Aran was only wearing his pants and undershirt, gloves, jacket, shirt, and boots piled up somewhere near his bed. Both of them were in vague states of undress, he supposed. Hiccup himself wasn't wearing his armor for once, leaving his red-orange tunic visible for once, and his prosthetic was propped up next to his bed, having removed it after finishing his (shortened) morning flight with Toothless. He sighed, closing his eyes as Aran finished undoing the braids. His hands didn't stop there, though, and continued to brush through his hair despite it being unnecessary. Hiccup wondered how he would have explained that one away if he was denying that Aran had feelings for him.

The sudden reminder that Aran returned his feelings was unwelcome, and he was sure he would be panicking if there weren't freckled fingers carding through his hair in the most calming way possible. It occurred to him that, as far as Aran knew, he had been attached to Astrid romantically and wasn't interested in men. He probably thought he was upset because Astrid didn't like him in that way, and not because he was just worried he'd lost one of his best friends because of his own stupidity and selfishness. Hiccup decided that was fine, and possibly one of the things preventing Aran from pursuing things and making even more of a mess out of the situation than Hiccup had already made himself. He wondered what Astrid was going to tell her parents. He wondered what **he** would tell his father. Hiccup clenched his left hand into a fist, not wanting to think about what he was supposed to do now.

"Hiccup?" Ah. Aran noticed.

"... Just thinking about what to do about my dad. I don't really want to date some girl I don't know, but I have to get married to someone at some point."

"Well, if I was in your shoes, I'd definitely not date some girl I don't know." Hiccup had the idle thought that it was kind of funny that he said shoes because he himself only had one foot, but he pushed that away. "Maybe I'd date a guy I **do** know? There aren't a lot of girls around, huh. Ruff is cute, but I wouldn't really wanna date her."

"... Well, it's not like I **can** date a guy." His voice was hesitant, quiet as he became very interested in his nails. Talking about your romantic struggles with your crush is… a delicate process.

"Oh?" It was a simple prompt.

"I'm… I'm the chief's son. Future chief, you know? So… obviously I need to be able to have kids to keep the bloodline going. My mom died before her and dad could even **try** to give me siblings, so everything kinda falls to me. Plus, when you're the chief, your actions kind of reflect on the tribe? If I was with a guy, and people had reason to believe that I wasn't the… the dominant one in… in the bedroom…" His voice wavered, and he was amazed that it didn't crack. "They'd assume that I'm a poor leader, and inclined to have others make my decisions for me."

"Ah. Then because you're the chief that would reflect on the tribe and people would assume the Hairy Hooligans are weak and easy to dominate." Hiccup hummed in agreement. "What if you were the 'dominant' one?"

"Umm…" He hesitated, not really wanting to answer that.

"Nobody would think you were a weak leader, right?" Hiccup sighed.

"No, they wouldn't. But… they would think the… the other guy was weak, and a coward. They'd probably get called a rassragr and humiliated. I couldn't do that to someone else." Aran chuckled.

"Of course you couldn't. You're too nice." He poked Hiccup on the nose. "What if they don't mind the negative attention?"

"I still couldn't do it. Besides, it wouldn't solve my problem of having kids." He grumbled. The situation really seemed hopeless.

"Hmm, and what if he **could** have kids? Could either of them really be called a rassragr if only one of them has a dick?" At that point, both of them knew they weren't speaking of some hypothetical mystery man.

"... I don't know." Hiccup sat up, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what people would think of him if they knew, and I would never ask him to tell everyone just for me to possibly avoid judgement. It'd be selfish of me, and Odin knows I've been selfish enough already." Aran didn't even have the chance to ask him what he could possibly mean by that, because he had fastened his prosthetic foot as he spoke and was now standing, putting his armor on. "I'm gonna go find Toothless. To make up for this morning. Say hi to Astrid if you see her."

"Right." Hiccup left their room, and Aran sighed. "Yeah. Sorry."

He stood from Hiccup's bed, bare feet making contact with the ground with a shiver. Aran had a brief moment of thought before deciding he was in the mood to wear his kilt, and he slipped that on over his pants because it was actually a pretty cold day and he was too weak to such frigid temperatures to wear it with nothing under it as was the proper way. Nobody would know but him. His boots were satisfyingly warm, and his cold toes thanked him as he put those on. After slipping his shirt and jacket on, he felt sufficiently warm, and decided to make his way towards the clubhouse before wandering about in search of the twins. He was in the mood for some entertainment, after that conversation.

"Honestly, it just amazes me that he made out with him half a year ago and never brought it up. Sure, they were drunk, but you'd think they'd at least **talk** about it!" It was Astrid's voice. Aran paused, confused.

"Well, you know Hiccup better than any of us, and we agreed to let him deal with his issues by himself." Apparently Hiccup drunkenly made out with someone.

"It'd be easier if Aran actually remembered doing it." Aran choked on air. "Shit." Man, was he good at being bad at eavesdropping on very private conversations being held in the very public clubhouse! Astrid walked out of the room, seeing Aran recovering from choking, face flushed red.

"H-Hiccup says hi." He managed before turning right the fuck around and walking away.

This **really** wasn't how he imagined the day going. At all. For months, he'd convinced himself that Hiccup was, without a doubt, attracted to females, wondering why his relationship with Astrid didn't feel right. Well, it turns out nobody is attracted to anybody it'd be easy to be attracted to. When he sat down with the intention to get Hiccup to talk about his problems, he certainly hadn't been planning on talking about a hypothetical situation where the two of them got together, but now he was certain that literally everything holding them back from being together was because of Hiccup's paranoia and fear of judgement. He supposed it was warranted, but that didn't stop him from being frustrated. How could someone **not** be if they were suddenly learning that their crush had drunkenly made out with them half a year ago and never mentioned anything? Or that, hey, their crush has liked them back for who knows how long and wasn't planning on ever talking about it?

Yeah. Not what he'd been ready for that morning. Aran found Méaróg buried in the sand, only visible by the tiny tip of his snout poking out. He shouted his name, and the two of them were in the air momentarily. Aran pulled his tin whistle out, playing it for quite a long time. He wasn't even sure how long he was in the air, but after a while, his fingers, face, and toes felt practically numb. He reluctantly shoved his instrument in his pouch, hugging himself. Méaróg crooned at him in concern.

" _You know, you're lucky to be a dragon. If we were dragons, none of this stupid drama would happen, we'd just date who we wanted and not care about anyone judging us._ " Aran grumbled. Méaróg had no idea what he was talking about, but he felt like he had to agree to some extent. He quite enjoyed being a dragon.

"What happened?"

" _Well, I guess we might care a little, but not enough to keep us from making out. Dragons don't make out. What do dragons even do?_ "

"We cuddle."

" _On second thought, I don't want to be a dragon. Making out is fun._ " Méaróg sometimes couldn't believe that his brother was considered an adult. " _Ugh, I bet making out with Hiccup was great. Why the fuck couldn't I have been sober enough to remember it? I wanna do it again, and cuddle, and just…_ " Aran let out a loud groan, flopping backwards to lay down on Méaróg's back. " _I like him._ "

"I think everyone knows that, Aran."

Méaróg honestly wasn't fond of drama. He was glad to be a dragon. Dragons don't do drama. Sure, Corcra couldn't get Stormfly to like him, but they were all well aware of his feelings for her. It was all just the usual courting procedure, and there was nothing complicated about it. Maybe one day Stormfly would like him back. Maybe she wouldn't. Either way, it didn't really matter, and Corcra could always mate with one of the native nadders if he felt so inclined.

Honestly, humans are so needlessly complicated.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 5,253_**

 **Hey remember how Aran and Hiccup are like. People? Mearog exists too.**

 **Anyways, I skipped over a few episodes, evidently haha. We're nearing the end of season 3! kinda**

 **Hiccup and Aran are probably going to get together sooner than I planned, but hey that's fine there's still things that need to happen after they get together, and I still need to write the second movie! Also, Aran's birthday is sometime in the summer, and about half a year has passed since his last birthday, and Hiccup's birthday is leap year so like. That's coming up. I'm gonna do it. It's gonna be small and cute.**

 **I don't know what else I could talk about here so? Have my usual 'hope you enjoyed! see you next time!' stuff**


	26. Family on the Edge

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn except like Gothi knows dragonese according to the wiki and that's hilarious so maybe).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

A part of Aran had been really intent on talking to Hiccup about the fact that the two of them had drunkenly made out half a year ago, but he felt particularly glad that he didn't bring it up when Dagur suddenly showed up in Hiccup's hut while the dragon riders were off training. It also wasn't really the best time to talk about such a thing when the taller male was so busy planning their attack on Viggo. He already had enough tension with Astrid, though the two of them seemed to be making an effort to be less stiff. Aran suspected they still hadn't talked about what was bothering them, but it was progress, and they needed to be able to work together when they went after Viggo. That was why Aran definitely did not think Dagur had made a timely appearance. He almost hadn't recognized him, considering the fact that it had been almost five years since they'd seen each other, but nothing could disguise the crazy laughter of a certain Dagur the Deranged.

Not exactly wanting to face the Berserker, especially when he knew he was searching for Heather, Aran cautiously watched his movements. They didn't seem particularly malicious, but then, one could never be sure with Dagur. When he poked at Hiccup's Inferno, Aran couldn't stand by. He snuck up behind him, snatching the flame sword out of his beefy hands before he could light the blade, and quickly twisted an arm behind his back to pin him to the ground. Dagur had been startled, and immediately started struggling. It took nearly all of Aran's strength to keep him pinned. The Berserker stopped struggling after a while, now attempting to twist his head behind him and see who in Hel's name was sitting on him.

"What are you doing here, Dagur?" Aran practically spat, words laced with venom. Dagur giggled with glee.

"Aran, my old friend! Is that you?" He shifted his hold, and Dagur let out a sound of pain. "Oh, it's been so long! Nearly five years since I've been blessed with your painful presence."

"I don't like to repeat myself, **Dagur.** What. Do. You. **Want?** " He shoved his arm into an even more painful position, confused as to why Dagur wasn't struggling.

Aran had only met Dagur twice before, during his first two years in the archipelago, and he hadn't made a very positive impression. During the annual peace treaty between the Hooligans and the Berserkers, Stoick would task his son with handling Dagur. Things had been like that for the poor boy's entire life, and it seemed Hiccup had resigned to his fate as the Berserker's punching bag. Aran's first meeting with Dagur had been the sight of the older boy trying to drown his friend. Needless to say, Aran had immediately thrown him away from Hiccup before the two of them got into a very real fight that had very nearly ended up in broken bones. The only reason bones **hadn't** been broken was because Hiccup shouted at Aran in panic, not wanting this to result in the peace treaty being rejected. Dagur would have kept fighting, had his father not shown up and informed him that it was time to eat.

So it was understandable that Aran's first impression hadn't been great. Hiccup telling him that he was used to the treatment from the older male didn't help anything, and by the end of that day Aran made a vow to actually break some bones if there was a next time. There was a next time. When Aran learned of the next visit the Berserkers were planning, he was ready. Both of the older teens wound up with broken bones after Dagur attempted to throw a dagger at Hiccup's head. The fight had been intense, there had been no clear victor, and Hiccup tried valiantly to explain the situation away when Oswald the Agreeable caught sight of his son beaten and bloodied. Aran stood by Hiccup's side with no regret in his features despite his equally wrecked appearance. Luckily for the Hooligan tribe, the Berserker chief's son had a gleeful grin on his face, happy to have found a decent opponent.

Now, with the stories of Dagur he'd heard from the other dragon riders, he was only one step away from attempting to beat him to a bloody pulp once more. It didn't help that he was apparently Heather's older brother, and Aran couldn't think of a single good thing he'd ever learned about him. None of his previous experiences explained why he wasn't struggling, however, and it made Aran feel paranoid. Thankfully his recollection of everything he knew about Dagur had only lasted a few seconds.

"I was just looking for Hiccup, I swear!"

"To do what with him? Throw knives at him? **Drown** him?" Just then, the door-like thing that lead into Hiccup and Aran's shared hut slid up, Hiccup standing in the entrance.

"Wha- Aran? **Dagur?** "

"Brother!" Dagur's voice filled with glee, and Hiccup took a step back. "Wait, where are you going? It's me. Get Aran off of me so we can hug!" Hiccup groaned, sliding his door shut after him and Toothless inside.

"Aran, I am so sorry about this. Please get off of him." He sounded reluctant, but Aran followed his request. Not before giving the other man a shove, of course!

"Strong as ever, Aran!" Dagur exclaimed as he stood up, stretching out the arm that had been painfully twisted behind his back.

"What the **Thor** are you doing here?"

" _That's what I was wondering…_ " Aran grumbled to himself as he stood between the two of them. Hiccup rested against a large chest, Toothless on his other side.

"Heather! I haven't seen a trace of her. It's so… **frustrating.** " Aran glanced back and forth between the two of them, the usual warmth in his eyes replaced with cold confusion.

"Yeah, I'll bet." Hiccup avoided looking at Dagur, glancing instead to Aran and patting him on the shoulder in a way that was supposed to be reassuring. Toothless growled at Dagur.

"I gotta have a dragon." Dagur shot out, and Aran fixed him with a look of disbelief.

"What?" Hiccup seemed to share the sentiment.

"To find Heather, I need to cover more ground, faster. Dragony fast." Hiccup pushed off from the chest, walking forward.

"Yeah, I-I don't think so."

"Hiccup!" Dagur grabbed the taller boy by the arm, and Aran's instinct told him to shove him off of him, but Hiccup didn't seem too worried. "You and Toothless owe me. I saved your lives." Hiccup wrenched his arm out of the loose grasp easily and continued walking.

"You also tried to kill us." He shot back coldly.

"Did I **really?** I think maybe in here," Dagur placed a hand over his heart. "I never really **wanted** to." Hiccup rolled his eyes, shoulders slumping.

"Oh, gods." He turned around to face Dagur, and Aran pretended he hadn't been cautiously making sure he was between the two of them. "I… I can't train you to ride a dragon." Dagur looked surprisingly crestfallen.

"Why not?"

"I… don't have the time." Hiccup answered, scratching the back of his head and avoiding his gaze.

"Oh. You're too busy. I get it. Sorry. It was fun seeing you again, Aran." Aran stiffened at the acknowledgement and wondered how the hell it was nice getting pinned to the ground and having your arm twisted behind your back. "Guess I'll be going." He began walking towards the exit. "First maybe I'll, you know, take a stroll around the base." Hiccup's head snapped up, eyes wide. "See a few old friends. Make a few apologies." Hiccup dashed ahead of him, standing in front of the door, spreading his arms wide. Aran was reminded how bad Hiccup had always been at lying, and almost found himself snickering.

"Uh, no, no, no, no, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because, uh…" Green orbs darted around, floundering for an excuse. "You- you've gotta be up early tomorrow… uh… to- to start your training." He smiled uncomfortably.

"Are you serious? But I thought-"

"Okay, we'll-we'll meet first thing in the morning on the far side of the island. That's… where the best wild dragons are." Dagur squinted at him, and Hiccup avoided eye contact by staring at his scraggly hairling. "Actually, you should go there **right now** and camp out for the… night." His nervous smile returned, and Aran kind of wanted to kiss him because someone half a foot taller than him should not be allowed to be that cute. Dagur seemed to believe the lie, and pulled Hiccup in for a bone crushing hug.

"Great idea." Hiccup grunted, making awkward motions with his hands as he avoided hugging back. "Thank you, Hiccup." Aran could hear Hiccup's leather armor straining. It was strange. "Thank you!"

"Don't-don't mention it."

"You're so… small, and cuddly." Hiccup immediately pushed Dagur off of him. Aran frowned.

"Please never say that again." He stepped away from Dagur. "Uh, so, I'll see you later." Hiccup called out as Dagur made his way to the exit. "Remember, on the far, far side of the island." He rubbed his arm slightly, out of soreness, as Dagur left. Aran giggled. "What're **you** laughing about?"

"Oh, nothing." He couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "You **are** pretty cuddly, though. I guess he meant small in terms of muscle mass?" Aran stepped closer to him poking his arm. "You're still kinda scrawny, even after building this up." He gently squeezed Hiccup's upper arm, pleasantly surprised by the firmness. Aran didn't miss the blush on Hiccup's cheeks, and he chuckled.

"Wow, can we maybe not talk about how I'm still kind of a walking fishbone?" He subtly leaned away from Aran, but this just caused him to smile more.

"Aww, you've upgraded from walking fishbone. You're like one of those tall, thin trees. It's cute."

The flustered expression on Hiccup's face was adorable, and Aran couldn't stop smiling. Hiccup bit his lip, looking away from Aran and reaching a hand up to toy with the braids he'd forgotten were no longer there. He let out a shaky laugh, awkwardly running his hand through his hair to cover up his moment of forgetfulness. Aran was disappointed by the lack of eye contact from the other male, but he supposed he could still appreciate the forest green orbs even if they were directed somewhere else. He reached a hand up to his face, thumb gently brushing over the small scar on his chin. Hiccup sucked in a sharp breath, and Aran felt his heart thump when the two of them made eye contact.

"Aran, what are you doing?" His voice was soft. Aran shrugged.

"I guess I figured that if you can make out with me when we're drunk, maybe I could do this." Oh. That was not what he meant to say. He'd been trying to avoid bringing that up maybe. Nice going, Aran.

"Sorry, what?" Aran retracted his hand and chewed the inside of his cheek. The only word running through his mind was _fuck_.

"I-I overheard Astrid talking to Heather about it." Hiccup backed away from him, but Aran supposed that was understandable. The air around them was heavy. "Half a year, Hic? You seriously didn't think it'd be a good idea to talk about it?"

"We can't **be** together, Aran." Aran frowned, crossing his arms. Hiccup's beautiful eyes darted around, trying to pretend the frustrated pout on his freckled face wasn't adorable.

"I know." Aran snapped, only feeling slightly bad when he saw Hiccup's guilty frown. Slightly. "You made that pretty clear when Astrid broke up with you."

"..." Hiccup turned away from him.

"I like you, Hiccup." He stated a fact both of them knew.

"I…" Aran tapped his fingers against his arm, waiting. "I like you too, but…"

"How long?" Hiccup blinked. "How long?" Aran repeated.

"... I realized it right before I had to fight Hookfang. Don't know long it's been going on, though." Aran let out a long breath.

"Sorry." Hiccup shook his head.

"You're fine."

Neither of them spoke. It was the first time they had their feelings out in the open like this, and it was quite obvious to Aran that Hiccup had been planning on avoiding them for the rest of his life. The brunet was still facing away from him when Aran stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his waist. He tensed up immediately, hands going to the other male's forearms reflexively but not pushing him away. Aran buried his face in Hiccup's back, breathing in his scent. He smelled like dragons, soot, metal, and the sea. Aran sighed.

"We don't have to tell anyone." He mumbled, and Hiccup barely heard him.

"They'll get suspicious." Hiccup shot back, his hands sliding down to rest on top of Aran's. He squeezed.

"If they accepted Astrid and Heather, they shouldn't have a problem with us." Aran's voice was soft, and he vaguely registered that the two of them had begun gently swaying at some point.

"Maybe…" Hiccup's voice was equally soft. "If you really don't mind." Aran's hold on him tightened.

"I really don't mind." He murmured.

Arms slipped away from Hiccup's waist, and he turned to look at his new boyfriend (if they could be called that). Aran put a hand on the back of his neck, and he felt himself being pulled down for a kiss he hadn't been prepared for. He must have made a startled sound, because Aran smiled into the kiss, and Hiccup closed his eyes without a second thought. Hands wandered to find comfortable resting positions. Their lips separated after not too long, and green eyes fluttered open. A blush spread across Hiccup's cheeks when Aran smirked, poking him on the nose.

"What was that for?" Hiccup rubbed his nose. Aran turned his back to him as he walked towards the exit.

"Well, I thought it was kind of unfair that I don't really remember us kissing and you clearly do, so." He shrugged, opening the door. "Come on, it's already dark out.

Hiccup let a smile sneak its way onto his face as he closed the door behind them, falling into step beside Aran. Their hands brushed, and Hiccup pulled his away immediately, laughing a little nervously. Aran gave him a gentle shove and called him silly before they kept walking, Aran respecting the fact that Hiccup was so romantically challenged he couldn't even hold hands. They arrived at the clubhouse, where everyone else was already eating dinner, and didn't sit next to each other. As Hiccup awkwardly moved the conversation over to Dagur, Aran let himself zone out a bit, suddenly remembered the merfolk paintings he'd done. Maybe he should redo all of them, just for fun. Not that anyone's would change much, save for Hiccup's. A part of him wondered if Hiccup would be willing to model shirtless for him.

He was very much startled when Heather shouted that she would 'split the father-killer in two' as she broke a table with her axe. Having been sitting next to that table and not paying any attention to the conversation, he assumed he'd let out an embarrassing sound judging by the amused look Hiccup sent him. Aran mumbled something about heart attacks as Hiccup gave Heather and Snotlout a surprise recon mission so as to take Heather's place in patrolling the island. All of them resumed eating as Hiccup stood up to leave for the patrol he'd just assigned himself, but Aran gave him a pointed look, gesturing to the food with a quick nod of the head. Hiccup begrudgingly sat down and ate dinner before leaving to go on patrol, and Aran sighed. Seeing how dark it was, he decided to go to bed.

The next day, Aran decided to spend time on the beach with Méaróg. His brother was more than happy to go on a self-imposed scavenger hunt for various pretty items, and Aran found himself hauling a basket full of various shells, plants, and fish (amongst other things) back to the hut. After the beach adventure, he went to the dome to try and scrub the sand off of Méaróg. It had been a long time since he'd last done such a thing, and when the deed was done, he decided it was time to lie down on the stone. Méaróg seemed tired from all the scavenging, and Aran wondered how long he'd been up. The two of them decided to take a nap, only to be awoken by Astrid's accusatory voice.

"The **sooner** you tell us where Hiccup is, the easier it'll go on **you.** " He peeked an eye open to see Dagur tied up, the dragon riders standing in front of him menacingly.

"I'm telling you, he's **here.** Getting a spare leg." Dagur sounded exasperated, and Aran had to wonder how many times he'd repeated himself.

"Sure he is-" Tuffnut began but Aran stood, interrupted.

"I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth. When he barged into Hiccup's hut last night, it seemed like he trusted him. Hiccup, I mean. Hiccup seemed to trust Dagur." The riders looked at him strangely.

"Hiccup!" Fishlegs shouted, and Aran turned to see him approaching, looking somewhat confused.

"You're alive! Wait. You're alive?" Tuff scratched his chin.

"What's… going on here?" Astrid approached him. She jabbed a finger into his chest repeatedly. "Dagur says you're **buddies** now and you're **teaching** him to **ride** a **dragon.** " Hiccup caught her finger with his own, pushing it back towards her as he laughed nervously. His smile dropped as his laughter faded.

"Yeah, it's a funny story, actually." As the group began walking to the clubhouse, Aran fell in step with Dagur.

"If you try anything, you're **dead.** " He drew a line across his own neck for emphasis. Dagur shrugged.

"Yeah, I figured." He punched Aran in the arm, eliciting a hiss from the other. Dagur was not one to pull punches.

"Then I flew in one direction, and… he sailed off in the other." Hiccup finished after what felt like forever. Everyone looked at him and while Aran hadn't been playing close attention, he got the gist of it. Something about Toothless getting hit by a dragonroot arrow and Dagur helping both to cure the night fury and avoid death by dragon hunters.

"So… Dagur saved your life?" Astrid was the first to speak.

"And Toothless's. Right, bud?"

"I mean, I guess so." Toothless growled out pleasantly, rolling his eyes and shaking his head before settling into what could be described as a smile. Not his adorable gummy one that proved his namesake, but a close mouthed one that betrayed his amusement. Hiccup sighed out a 'yeah'.

"Pretty much."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Yeah, why didn't you tell 'em, brother?"

"Because… I wasn't sure… how you'd feel about it." He received harsh looks. "'Cause I wasn't sure how **I** felt about it."

"To be fair, I have done some pretty questionable things." Dagur admitted, and Fishlegs looked incredulous.

"Questionable? Trying to kill us is **not** questionable." The Berserker looked offended, but his face screwed into a frown as he found no way to argue that.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. He saved you. I get that." Tuffnut started. "But why are you teaching him how to ride a dragon?"

"I'm looking for Heather." Aran tensed as the twins exchanged satisfied grins. Astrid and Fishlegs looked at each other in alarm.

"Yes," Hiccup's voice came out a little louder than necessary. "And the sooner I teach him how to fly," He shared an awkward smile with Dagur, who didn't register the awkwardness. "The sooner he can leave to go find her." His next words came out slow and emphasized. Aran nearly snorted. "Wherever she might be."

"Dagur, have we got some good news for you." Ruffnut shoved herself in front of Astrid and Fishlegs to be the center of attention, making excited hand motions.

"Yes, yes we do!" Hiccup pulled himself and Fishlegs in front of the twins because he was about ninety percent sure they hadn't caught onto what he'd been saying. "Fishlegs, here, is the best gronckle trainer in the world." Fishlegs's smile grew with pride. "He can help improve your flying."

"Aww, thanks Hiccup!" The twins tried to get Dagur's attention.

"Maybe you should go train him." Hiccup made sure Dagur ignored them. "Now!"

"Ohh. Yes, right away."

Fishlegs walked out with Dagur, immediately beginning his teachings. The twins had been about to run after them, but Astrid seized them and lead them away, so as to explain things more clearly. Aran laughed as Hiccup shook his head, letting out an exhausted sigh. Their lovely leader excused himself from the clubhouse, Aran followed. He caught up with him and they walked to his room in a comfortable silence, amused smile present on Aran's face. As soon as the door to their hut slid shut, Aran turned around, planting a firm kiss to Hiccup's lips. He snaked his arms around his neck as Hiccup placed his hands on his waist.

"What was that for?" Aran couldn't help the laughter that came from his mouth, and he hugged his boyfriend, hiding his face in his neck.

"That's what you said the last time I kissed you!" Hiccup returned the hug slowly, joining him in laughter. Aran leaned away slightly, looking up at him and not bothering to dampen the grin on his face. "Though, to be fair my reason this time has been because you're such a bad liar and I think that's really cute." Hiccup blushed, and Aran kissed him again.

"Gods, you're really sappy, aren't you." He grumbled as he broke away. Aran only laughed more.

"You haven't seen the half of it. Sorry Hic, but you signed up for this." Aran reached up to give him a quick peck on the cheek before the entrance to the hut suddenly slid open, causing them to practically jump away from each other.

"Hiccup?" Astrid walked in. Her blue eyes were focused on the battle plans Hiccup had set up on the table, thankfully, and she hadn't seen anything. That had been close, though.

" _Aaand, I think that's my cue to leave._ "

Aran waved a quick goodbye to Astrid, turning around to blow Hiccup a kiss when he was safely out of her sight range. Hiccup glared at him, and Aran winked at him before snickering and waltzing off. The Irishman spent only a moment wondering what to do when he was seized by the shoulders and flown off to the forest somewhere. As soon as they'd safely landed, Méaróg nudged his face into Aran's stomach, and the two of them were soon wrestling. Aran wasn't sure how long that had lasted, but he was soon feeling sweaty and exhausted. His brother was more than happy to get food for the two of them, and Aran got to work setting a fire up. The pink dragon began eating his meal as Aran speared his fish with a stick, propping it up to cook above the fire before stripping his three layers of clothes that were on his torso. He also took his boots off, and he relished the feeling of cold air against his hot, sweaty skin. By then it seemed his fish was finished cooking, and he joined Méaróg in eating, only stopping to say things to him every now and then. If the reptile showed any signs of being tired with his ramblings of his new relationship, Aran didn't pick up on them, because he was busy rambling about his new relationship.

After they finished eating, they relaxed for a moment, Aran playing his tin whistle. When he'd cooled down from the fighting, he put his clothes and shoes back on, stretching. Méaróg was more than happy to take him to the landing deck outside the stables. It had become his prefered location to spend alone time when he didn't mind others interrupting. He'd also grown accustomed to waiting there for the dragon riders to return from missions, and while it didn't give as good a vantage point as the clubhouse, it was enough to make sure no dragon hunter ships arrived without him noticing. There had been multiple occasions of him not noticing he'd fallen asleep until he'd woken up, Hiccup carrying him to his bed. He was content to relax there, and it usually gave him the itching feel of creativity, his hands twitching to get his sketchbook out.

He'd been drawing Hiccup's face from memory when he heard noise. Turning around revealed Hiccup, Astrid, and Heather herding Dagur into the stables. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Aran followed. The three of them locked Dagur in one of the pens with Shattermaster, his green gronckle, before heading to the exit. Astrid asked Aran to keep an eye on the Berserker, and Aran obliged, pulling up a stool next to the door to the pen. Dagur slumped against the bars, fidgeting. Aran looked over at him, a thick eyebrow raised.

"What's up with you?" While Aran had initially not trusted Dagur, he would have been a fool not to notice how much he'd changed since he last saw him.

"Hiccup's going to lead the riders into a trap." He sounded frustrated.

"I kinda wasn't listening to what their plan is, or the situation. Fill me in?" Dagur did so. "Oh, man. That doesn't sound good. Y'know the time with the flightmare and Viggo and stuff? The reeked of trap, but nobody saw it coming." Dagur nodded, looking thoughtful.

"I need to prove to them that it's a trap. If Heather goes in and-" He made a choking sound. "I can't let that happen!" His hands tugged at his hair.

"What are you planning?" Aran turned around to face him.

"... I'm going to follow their plan." He answered. "I'm going to go to the shipyard, use the seastacks and fog as cover, and stay up out of arrow range. And I'm going to prove that it was a trap all along." Aran nodded.

"You could die, doing this." Deep green eyes met brown.

"I know." Aran stood from his stool, quietly opening the door. Dagur walked out, giving him a curious look as he rifled through his bag for a loose piece of parchment and a charcoal stick.

"I'm sure you have something you want to tell at least someone if you don't make it." Aran handed him the items. "I trust you to do what you say you will, because I know what it's like to be willing to do anything for your sibling. You've changed a lot since I met you those five years ago, Dagur." They shared a serious moment of eye contact. "I'll tell the others you left in the morning."

"Aran…" He held up a hand.

"I don't want to hear anything from you that'll creep me out." Aran gave him a bittersweet smile. "And I don't want the riders flying into a trap, either."

He called Méaróg over, sitting on the floor instead of the stool as he rested against his back. If he was on 'guard duty' he couldn't exactly sleep in his bed that night. Dagur wrote out a letter before giving him one last look and leaving with Shattermaster. Aran walked into the pen, looking around before telling Méaróg to make it look like the green gronckle had broken his rider out. He would tell Hiccup that he was the one to let Dagur out later, but for now, he needed the riders to focus on Dagur. Aran hopped onto his brother's back after being satisfied by the damage, instructing him to fly to where the others were doing preparations for the mission. He walked up to Hiccup immediately.

"Dagur is gone. Shattermaster must have broken him out when I was sleeping."

That seemed to do the trick, and the entire group went to the stables. They immediately decided it was time to leave, and Aran only stopped Hiccup long enough to give him a quick hug and tell them all to be safe. After that, it was time to wait. He sat on the ground outside the stables, using Méaróg as a large, warm backrest. When they came back hours later, glum looks on their faces, Aran knew exactly what the outcome had been. He made eye contact with Hiccup, who opened his mouth to explain, but Aran just smiled and mouthed 'I know' before pulling him into a tight hug. The group followed them to their hut, where Hiccup cleaned up the diagram of Viggo's shipyard he'd been using for strategy.

"This is my fault. I should have listened to him." Aran stood beside Hiccup, putting a hand on his lower back.

"He knew it was a trap, and he still flew right in." Astrid sounded shocked.

"We never saw him hit the water, so maybe… maybe…" Snotlout trailed off, not feeling particularly confident with his own words.

"Yeah, maybe…" Ruffnut said.

"I will never forget his noble sacrifice." Fishlegs stated.

"You think my brother sacrificed himself?" Heather questioned, voice harsh but not as harsh as it usually was when she spoke of her brother. "Not with his ego. He thought he could make it." Hiccup looked at her softly. "What?"

"I… just… never heard you call Dagur your brother before." Heather's eyes widened and she gasped, pulling her hood up as she began to walk out.

"I need some sleep." Astrid made to follow her, but she shook her head. There was a moment of quiet.

"He really did sacrifice himself." Aran said, drawing their attention. "I would know, because… I'm the one who let him out."

"And you let him fly to his death?" He fixed Hiccup with a firm look.

"It was either him or you."

Aran dropped his hand from Hiccup's back, walking towards the exit. It seemed it had started raining sometime after Heather left. He stepped into the icy shower, wandering aimlessly. Aran hadn't been close to Dagur, yet he still felt bad about his death. He didn't feel guilty for letting him go, but he would be lying if he said he hadn't hoped the Berserker would return alive and surprise them all, and that everyone would accept him with open arms after he narrowly escaped death on their behalf. The next while would be tense and gloomy, but Aran hoped it would pass soon. He thought of the note Dagur had written to Heather, speaking some of the sentences aloud. Aran hoped it would pass **very** soon.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,117**_

 **Hi, I'm really sorry about this chapter being posted like, more than a day after the previous one (what the heck kinda thing is that to apologize for? why do I update so much) but I just got a huge mound of stress with school starting up again and some personal drama on top of my depression which had already been getting worse... I found it really hard to get back to writing this, especially because Hiccup and Aran get together in this chapter while I may or may not have been broken up with as I was writing it (may or may not because I don't want to believe it happened and I'm upset and it wasn't completely clear and I just really really don't want her to not be my gf anymore). what got me back to being able to write was actually me watching the first 13 episodes of the Trollhunter series while my friend (who is also going through a bad time in terms of depression and relationship things) sent me a bunch of humorous pictures of cats. I just. Really need a hug honestly, but there nobody to hug. I'm doing a little better and now I'm kinda using Aran/Hiccup to cope with my suffering but I'm still kinda... ugh...**

 **Fun fact: Aran and Hiccup were actually NOT supposed to get together yet but. It happened. They got sick of me putting it off lmao**

 **I'm actually planning on doing episode 12 (Last Auction Heroes) because, while yes, it is the episode where Snotlout pretends to be a rich blonde asshole, and there is no time spent on the Edge, I think Aran might be going crazy staying on the Edge for so long. It's gonna be a fun time and Hiccup is probably going to die of anxiety for reasons I don't wanna outright say but I mean if you guess I'm not gonna deny.**

 **Anyways, I dunno if my update schedule will be what it used to be. I'm kinda hurting still. This chapter wasn't really very good, and parts of it probably won't make sense unless you've seen the show, ahh... If you haven't seen the show and are confused about something please ask me to elaborate? I'm kinda skimming over everything.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter more than I did. See you next time**


	27. Last Auction Heroes

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese (which no humans will learn except like Gothi knows dragonese according to the wiki and that's hilarious so maybe).**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Everyone seemed determined to honor Dagur's sacrifice by following the instructions left in his letter. That was how the group found themselves enlisting trader Johann's help, trying to find the location of Viggo's dragon auction. Hiccup called everyone into the clubhouse after he found his way there, using the heavy clouds as cover so he could use his spyglass to get a general feel for the place. He had what looked to be a small map spread out in front of him, and everyone looked to him expectantly, not wanting to hear trader Johann go off on one of his long tales. Aran thought that was a shame. Johann had some great stories to tell, honestly! It also probably didn't hurt that Aran hadn't really left the Edge for a significant amount of time in what felt like ages. He really wanted to go visit Berk, or Ireland, or at least go **somewhere** for a bit!

"Extra ships on the perimeter. Guards, everywhere. Catapults, and watchtowers on the cliffs." He gestured to the map. "Dragon root arrow launchers on every seastack within a half mile." Hiccup looked up. "There's no way in or out. Period."

"Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup, think positive." Tuffnut said.

"And- and how do you suggest I do that?"

"Rapid-fire. Mug, half-empty or half-full?"

"Definitely empty." Hiccup looked unamused.

"Don't waste your time." Ruffnut advised her brother.

"It is, however, the perfect opportunity to put a big dent in Viggo's dragon trade." Their leader continued without sparing them another glance as Johann walked to stand beside him.

"But how?" Astrid looked a little hopeless. Fishlegs laughed.

"Astrid, I'm sure Hiccup has an idea." His smile dropped slightly. "You do have an idea, right?"

"Let me guess. Cruise right into the place and announce ourselves." Snotlout laughed.

"You know, I think we need someone to get close to Viggo." Hiccup put a hand on his chin. "Keep him busy while we find the rest of those dragons." He continued speaking without pause, brow furrowed and hands gesturing in concentration. "Now, it- it has to be someone Viggo wouldn't suspect because he's never seen him up close." Hiccup's eyes fell on Snotlout, who had just picked his nose and offered the booger to Hookfang to eat. The nightmare licked his finger, and the others groaned.

"You've **got** to be kidding me." Astrid cringed. Heather looked like she was about to puke as she walked away.

"Wait, no no no, he's the **only one** who was never captured by Viggo or Ryker! He's… the only one they don't know." Hiccup crossed his arms, staring at his unaware cousin. Aran cleared his throat.

"I could go." Everyone stared at him, and he tensed at the sudden attention. He wasn't an unconfident person by any means, but he'd grown accustomed to not taking an active role in these sorts of meetings. "Viggo and Ryker have only ever seen me once, at a huge distance, back with the buffalord a few months ago. I was standing far away from them too, so I'm sure they wouldn't be able to recognize me unless I had Méaróg with me, and there's no way I'm letting him come along." Fishlegs blinked.

"You know, he has a point there."

"Wha- no, we're not letting **Aran** go!" Hiccup's eyes went wide, fixing on Aran. "He- he's never been on a mission."

"He has plenty of combat training though, so I'm sure he could take care of himself." Astrid pointed out.

"Plus, our other option is… less than favorable…" Heather sent a look to Snotlout, who looked absolutely clueless.

"Aran…" Hiccup looked at him, pleading, and Aran recalled what he'd overheard him say late at night to Astrid in the clubhouse.

 _(I couldn't live with myself if he got hurt because of me.)_

"Hiccup, I'm not going to get myself killed. Stop worrying about me."

 _(It's bad enough that I invited him here in the first place and got him roped into everything,)_

"Honestly." Aran stepped closer, and the two of them stared each other in the eyes. "I'm older than you, Astrid and Heather have been doing an incredible job training me, and I know how to look after myself."

 _(Sometimes I wish I could send him back to Berk.)_

"Fine… But I don't like this." Hiccup had a deep frown on his face, and Aran wanted to kiss him. Johann interrupted before he could do anything Hiccup would be upset with him for.

"I hate to be the bearer of most unfortunate news, Master Hiccup. Unless you are hiding a pile of gold in the crevices of your tunic, you won't **see** the dragons, let alone bid on them." Hiccup scratched his chin.

"Well, everyone, I think we're going to Berk." Hiccup announced. "Everyone get ready and meet at the landing deck within an hour." He left before anyone could say anything.

"Hiccup, wait up!" Aran ran after him, falling in step beside him as they walked to their hut. The brunet said nothing to him. "You know I'm the best option."

"I-I just don't want you to be." He ran a hand through his hair. "If something happens to you-"

" **Nothing** is going to happen to me." Aran smiled as they reached the hut. As soon as they were inside, he pulled his boyfriend down for a kiss.

"... Thanks." Aran laughed.

"Can't believe you actually just thanked me for a kiss." Hiccup blushed as Aran went upstairs to get his jacket. He hadn't put it on that morning, but he was sure he would need it for the flight. "You're cute, Hic. One of these days, you'll have to kiss me yourself, though. It's a bit unfair that you only did it when you were drunk."

"Well, I'm sorry I've never been in a real relationship before." Hiccup grumbled. Aran blinked.

"Wait, what?" He asked as he turned around, jacket properly on. He went downstairs to see Hiccup getting some things ready. "What about Astrid?" Hiccup laughed.

"I didn't tell you?" Aran shook his head. "Astrid and I never actually liked each other that way. We started dating because we were trying to, but we're just really…" Hiccup wished there was a non offensive word for this, but that wouldn't be invented until much further into the future.

"I get you." Aran laughed. "God, I can't believe I'm dating a virgin." He sighed in fake disappointment, but Hiccup didn't seem to register that, and he looked away. "It's a joke, Hic. I don't care about that."

"Right." He didn't seem convinced, and Aran wrapped his arms around him from behind, back pressed against his chest.

"It's going to be fun teaching you everything." He said, not sure if he was trying to tease or be seductive as he let his hand drift lower. Hiccup detached his arms, and Aran opened his mouth to speak when he found a warm, chapped pair of lips on his own. It was over as soon as it started, and Aran was left standing there with a blank look on his face. "... Maybe not everything." He breathed out, feeling a flustered blush spread across his cheeks.

"And now you can't complain that I've never kissed you. Come on, let's head to the landing dock." Aran pouted.

"Can't we just stay in here and make out?"

"No, because Viggo is kind of out there, and we have to ruin his whole dragon trading business. Come on."

"You're no fun." Aran grumbled as he followed Hiccup out of their hut.

Méaróg was waiting for them at the landing dock, and Aran winced. He had to convince the pink dragon to stay behind, and he felt horrible about it, but he wasn't joking when he said there was no way he would let his brother come along on the mission. The reptile was not easily convinced, and Aran practically had to beg. He kept a hand on his large, pale pink head as the others arrived. Everything seemed to be in order, save for how Johann and Aran would be getting to Berk. True, Aran supposed he could fly on Méaróg to Berk and leave him behind, but he felt that would be a bit cruel. After all, at least on Outpost Island the young dragon had Corcra and Mathilda, amongst (other wild dragons) to spend time with. He wasn't particularly close to anyone else.

"Ehh, I'll just ride with Hiccup." Aran shrugged, feeling a little selfish, but also really wanting to hug his boyfriend for several hours. He didn't miss the pointed look Astrid shot Hiccup, who was avoiding her gaze. It wasn't as if he'd told her the two of them were together yet.

"That sounds fine to me." Hiccup clearly had nothing against the suggestion. "Johann, you can ride with Astrid. There's enough room on Stormfly," He glanced at Meatlug's somewhat small seating space. "And I doubt a ride with any of those three," Hiccup gestured to the twins and Snotlout. "Would be very pleasant."

"Thank you, Master Hiccup." Trader Johann bowed. "You know, I think my daughter would quite like you. Sheltered young girl she may be, but she's always had a strange fascination with the- er, fiery beasts." He sent a wary look towards Hookfang, who had lit himself on fire upon being mounted by Snotlout. It was all in good fun, of course! Snotlout glared at him after putting out the fire, and the next time he attempted mounting him, the nightmare decided to let him.

"You have a daughter?" Aran was curious. He'd never heard Johann mention her before, and he was one of the odd few who **liked** hearing the trader's stories.

"Yes, well…" His excited face fell. "Her mother isn't particularly fond of me." He admitted, cautiously letting Astrid pull him up onto Stormfly. Everyone was mounted at this point, so Hiccup instructed everyone to start flying.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Aran sounded sincere, and Hiccup managed not to tense up when he felt their arms wrap around his waist. He had been expecting it, after all. "What's her name?" A warm smile spread across Johann's face.

"I wanted to name her Ilanah, but her mother insisted on Iris. I haven't seen her in quite a while, but I'm sure she's grown into a beautiful young lady. She always loved it when I visited her and told her all sorts of stories from my travels. In fact, one time…"

Johann launched into one of his long winded stories, and Aran rested his cheek against the leather on Hiccup's back, eyes sliding shut as he listened, asking questions here and there but for the most part he just let him talk. He felt surrounded by the pleasant smell that was Hiccup. It was leather, charcoal, sweat, and the comfort of a fireplace. Despite the frigid winds biting through his layers of clothing, Aran felt warmth spread through his very core. He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until he was shaken awake, the group making a short stop on a small uninhabited island. Hiccup smiled at him, and he felt embarrassed for falling asleep during Johann's story. He would have to explain that he'd just felt so at ease he couldn't help himself.

After eating and resting, the group continued to Berk. Aran almost pretended to be asleep again because he didn't want to let go of Hiccup. Hiccup was having none of that. As much as he thought his clingy boyfriend was adorable, now was really not the time. The young Haddock left with Toothless to go find and speak with his father. It was after that that the twins seized both of Aran's arms, devious grins on their faces as they dragged him to the old dragon training academy without any explanation. Aran was forced to stand still behind a wooden wall of sorts as the twins began discussing things. The other five dragon riders arrived soon after, and they all had a hushed conversation.

"Light?"

"No. Dark."

"Of course, of course. Light would be if he had-"

"Yeah. What about this?"

"No, too dark."

"This?"

"Perfect!"

"And for this part-"

"Make it less clumpy. Also!"

"Yeah! Oh and for the-"

"Guys, what in God's name are you talking about?" The vikings all turned to look at him, exchanging glances. "What?"

"Sometimes we forget you like, don't do the whole Odin, Valhalla, Jotun, thing." Tuffnut shrugged.

"My mom probably has some spare clothes she was trying to make me wear." Astrid said, completely off topic. Aran gave her a very confused look. "For your disguise? The knotwork on your jacket isn't exactly subtle." She was right. The hem of Aran's jacket was decorated with a red and gold piece of work his mother had done for him. "The only problem is trying to make you look like you're rich. Your clothes can't be tattered or matted."

"Oh yeah. What about that light, dark stuff?"

"Hair dye." Heather held the container up. "It won't be quite as dark as mine, but it'll be darker than Hiccup's. Your hair is a pretty big giveaway." Aran pulled one of the red locks into his line of sight and had to agree.

"And of course, we have to cover up all of those freckles." Snotlout stated, looking over at what the twins were doing. "Not like that, it has to be paler!" Ruff stuck her tongue out at him.

"Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff, you three are in charge of makeup. Heather can help you with your hair because she's already carrying the dye, and she's probably the best out of all of us at styling hair." Astrid paused just long enough to give her girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. "Fishlegs and I'll go looking for clothes."

The group disperse, and Heather gestured for Aran to go over. She helped dye his hair, assuring him that it would wash out in less than a month before working on styling it. They decided to pull his bangs out of his eyes, Heather braiding his hair behind his back. Apparently it was starting to get a little long. He would probably trim it soon. Colouring his eyebrows would be saved for after the twins covered up his freckles, but there was unfortunately nothing to be done about his eyelashes. Hopefully, he wouldn't be close enough for anyone to notice.

Face paint is very cold, Aran decided. While the twins had been the one to create the substance, it was Snotlout who applied it, shooing everyone else off. The situation was somewhat amusing, and Snotlout's makeup duties only paused when Astrid and Fishlegs returned with his outfit. It had a heavily furred hood, and looked brand new. The cloth was finer than he was used to seeing, and it looked quite warm. There was fur in some places just for show. They also provided a new pair of boots for him, but they also stated that they'd pulled teeth getting the outfit together, and Aran would need to return it after everything was done. The hood was apparently Astrid's mother's, and Mrs. Hofferson would definitely be wanting it back. After forcing them all to the other side of the wooden barrier, he changed into the outfit, relishing in the warmth. It would be a shame to let it go. He let the others come back after he'd finished changing, and Snotlout was putting the finishing touches on his makeup when he heard two dragons screeching, followed by Stoick's voice.

"A special envoy you say?"

"Exactly." Snotlout's tongue stuck out in determination, and Aran idly wondered what Hiccup would think of the new look. Fishlegs peeked out from behind the wall, silently telling Hiccup to wait a moment.

"Going into the auction under an assumed identity." Toothless was running around the arena playfully as Skullcrusher chased him.

"Exactly." Hiccup repeated. Aran winced as Snotlout nearly poked his eye out. He was hissed at to 'hold still, why don't you!?' as he tried not to laugh. His makeup was finished as Stoick spoke his next words.

"Well, he's gonna have to be smart, crafty, quick on his feet, and most importantly…" Aran took the moment to step out from behind the wooden barrier, adjusting a circlet on his head before tugging his hood off. He'd put it up right before walking. For dramatic effect.

"While I do appreciate the flattery, do know that it won't get you anywhere." Aran made sure his voice sounded cold and pretentious, playing up his accent more than necessary. "I'm not one for handing out favors." He saw Hiccup swallow a lump in his throat, and felt more than satisfied with himself.

"You know, for a moment I was worried it would be Snotlout." Stoick stated. He was nodding in approval. Aran walked forwards.

"Please, in my country the people would riot if someone as daft as a Jorgensen tried to rule them. He'd be dead within a fortnight." He made sure to keep his shoulders back, chin up, and arms crossed. Hiccup was blinking rapidly, and Aran had to break character to smirk. "I was thinking of playing up the whole 'I'm not from around here' thing? What do you think?"

"Gods, you're-" Hiccup sounded dazed at first, but he caught himself. Aran could have sworn he was about to call him hot, and he resented the fact that there were people around. "Do that. That's a good idea."

"Well, I feel a bit better. If there's anyone in your little group I would pick for this, it would be Aran." Aran felt his heart soften a bit.

"Aww, Chief, you really mean that?" He cooed. Stoick gave him a harsh stare, and he cleared his throat. "And by that I mean you'd be fool not to."

"My only condition is that you bring Gobber with you. Just because you're the best one for the job doesn't mean I'm trusting you with Berk's entire cache of gold."

"I was actually thinking about that. If we put it in a chest, it's not as if they're going to check if it's all gold, right? Couldn't we just fill the thing with rocks and have the top be gold?" Hiccup blinked, then looked irritated.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Aran bit back a flirty comment.

The boat ride to the auction site was tense, and Aran spent the entirety of it brainstorming names. He wound up settling on Feidhelm, and practically chanted the name over and over. Feidhelm of Saibaile. Of course, Saibaile wasn't a real place. It was just a mashup of the words 'rich town' in Irish because Aran wasn't exactly the best when it came to names. When questioned as to why someone had never heard of Saibaile, he would simply scoff and say its location was a well guarded secret, and it was so far south he doubted they would survive the heat. His persona as Feidhelm was cold, detached, pretentious, and in search of a dragon to have as an exotic pet. If he was honest, he was getting a bit carried away in developing the character, but it was all in good fun. He could tell Méaróg all about it afterwards. By the time the boat arrived, he was fully in character, and they'd decided that the reason Gobber would so much more viking-like in comparison would be that 'Feidhelm' picked him up along the way to the auction site. It was a weak story, and he hoped he could think of something better.

"Welcome, Sir Feidhelm of Saibaile." Gobber announced, and Feidhelm walked out of the ship, carrying a chest full of stones and gold.

"I didn't hire you to speak to peasants. Make yourself useful and carry my gold." Feidhelm said harshly, shoving the decorated box into Gobber's arms before mumbling in Irish. " _I could literally tell these people exactly who I am and they wouldn't understand a word because I'm speaking Irish, and I think that's beautiful._ " Gobber looked disgruntled, but Aran had given him plenty of warning, and Feidhelm would make an effort not to be too much of an ass. But if he had to be, well, what happens happens. "What a battered axe." He said, eying a dragon hunter's axe in distaste as he walked, acutely aware of the hushed whispers surrounding him. "Do these people not have a means to wear anything besides potato sacks?" Him and Gobber approached Viggo and Ryker, the younger brother raising an eyebrow.

"Sir?"

"Feidhelm." He looked down at the coins in his hand, looking as dismissive as he possibly could. "Of Saibaile." Feidhelm gestured to Gobber, who opened the chest to reveal the top layer of gold. "Will that be all? I'd like to leave this wretched dock. Where I come from, things aren't quite so… unsightly." He gave a pointed look to an old man wearing tattered clothes.

"There is one thing…" His voice was dangerously low. "I don't believe I've ever heard of your lands." Feidhelm was glad he'd thought that out already. Of course Viggo was the first to say anything.

"I'm not surprised. I've travelled from very far south, where it's lush greens as far as the eye can see." He made sure he was maintaining the heavier than usual accent. "We're a small kingdom, and we try to keep ourselves secret." Feidhelm shrugged. "But I couldn't help hearing from a friend of a friend that there are dragons being traded up north, and I've always wanted an exotic… pet." His lips curled up into a smirk that felt strangely natural, as if he were truly becoming Feidhelm.

"Well, I can only hope you find what you're looking for, good sir. Remind me of your kingdom's name?" It felt as though Viggo was testing him.

"Saibaile. Now, we must be going. Attendant, would you be so kind as to leave these men with a token of gratitude for rewarding my long travels with the promise of rare dragons?"

Gobber flicked a coin towards the two as they walked by, him and Feidhelm sharing a relieved look. It seemed Aran was a good enough actor to prevent Gobber from having to properly act. A good thing, too. Gobber didn't seem the type. The two of them walked towards a more secluded area, winding up where Aran assumed Viggo's tent was. Gobber commented on his acting skills, and Aran could only shrug, stating that he now felt Feidhelm was a real person who had the misfortune of being stuck without his own body. He was only happy to let him take over. The blacksmith laughed, and they were both startled out of their conversation by the bushes rustling. A large, likely boulder class dragon revealed itself, sniffing at the scrap metal lying nearby,

"He's not much of a looker, is he?" Feidhelm's harsh personality was sort of rubbing off on Aran. He didn't **really** think there was anything wrong with the dragon, after all. It was kind of cute.

"I think he's magnificent." Gobber said, walking over with the chest tucked under his arm. Feidhelm continued to fiddle with the coins in his hand. Aran wondered if he could keep them when this was all said and done. He'd begun to memorize every little scratch and detail in the metal that had grown warm in his hands.

"To each his own."

"Hello." Gobber greeted the dragon with affection, and received an equally affectionate cry in response. He pet him, resting his face against his large snout before Ryker put his foot on him.

"Out of my way, Grump." He kicked him. "Fat beast." Gobber's face went red with anger.

"Do you auction off the… ugly, fat one as well?" Ryker began to laugh, and Feidhelm made the effort to roll his eyes.

"Who would **buy** him?" He gestured to the beast, and Feidhelm shook his head. "Besides, he eats all the scrap iron, and is the only dragon that can bite through a dragonproof cage." Aran filed that away for future reference as Ryker walked past them towards Grump, scratching his own neck. "Ah, personally, I'd just as soon skin him and eat him. That fat would be tasty on toast squares with some yak butter." He knelt by Grump, stroking him, hunger in his eyes. "Eh, Grump?" He got up, shoving him roughly, eliciting an upset cry. Gobber looked like he wanted to say something. Thankfully, he didn't get the chance. Ryker seemed to enjoy talking. "But, Viggo likes having him around. Says there's a use for everyone." Gobber made to move, but Aran spoke.

"Well, I can see how it would be good to have him around, not fall into the wrong hands." He could only imagine having such a dragon on Hiccup's side would put a dent in some of Viggo's plan. "But he's hardly what I'm here for. I'd like to see what you have to offer, but first I need a respite from the wind." He shivered. "Where I come from, it's quite a deal warmer. Lovely place, really, but it makes me forget others aren't quite so fortunate with their weather. I'll just take a moment alone in this tent." He gestured to the tent he knew had to be Viggo's. They had to get in there. Feidhelm began walking, gesturing for Gobber to follow, but Ryker predictably blocked their path.

"Nobody. Goes inside Viggo's tent." Feidhelm fixed him with a cold look.

"Ah. What a shame. Well then, valet, it seems we're headed home. Have fun telling brother dearest that you let such riches walk away from you." He turned to walk away, Gobber moving to follow, but an irritated sigh from Ryker made him pause.

"Go ahead, but make it quick." Ryker grumbled as he walked away from them. Feidhelm sighed.

"Alright, let's find the manifest…" Aran mumbled to himself as the two of them began to search.

"Found it." Gobber stated triumphantly.

"Time's up!" The blond man hid the paper behind his back as Ryker walked in. "And the bidding is about to begin."

"Oh, lovely. I finally get to see if any of these dragons were even worth traveling for." Feidhelm fiddled with his coins again. It was an easy way to avoid eye contact and look dismissive as opposed to nervous.

"Oh, trust me. I think you'll like what we have to offer."

Feidhelm hummed in an unimpressed manner, and while Ryker wasn't completely used to people like him, it was better than him being obnoxious. Him and Gobber sat in the small crowd, Feidhelm next to a stranger in a hood and Gobber on his other side. Feidhelm crossed his arms and legs, putting on an air of disinterest as he reclined slightly. Viggo and Ryker were up on the stage, beside a cage covered in cloth. Not long passed before Viggo addressed the crowd.

"Friends, buyers, honoured guests, I believe we have assembled the most unique and comprehensive group of dragons in the archipelago." He turned around, finger in the air and head still turned back to face them as he walked towards the clothed cage behind him. "I think you will agree." He pulled the cloth down, and it was accompanied by a scream that sounded oddly familiar…

Oh. It was Tuffnut. Him and his sister were… clinging to the cage. What in the world happened to the plan. And was that a speed stinger? Why were they clinging to a speed stinger cage of all things? And why hadn't it stung them yet? Or had it stung them, and that was the reason they were clinging to the cage? Because they couldn't move? His eyebrows raised to his hairline. Of course the twins fucked it up. Had he really expect anything different. He looked to Gobber and both of them shrugged. Viggo squinted at Feidhelm, particularly at one of the coins in his hand.

"I have reason to believe our special guest is a dragon rider." Viggo pointed to Feidhelm, Gobber, and the twins. "Seize them! Seize them all!"

And that was how Feidhelm and Gobber found themselves thrown into a jail cell meant for dragons but completely effective on humans as well, if the presence of every dragon rider besides Hiccup meant anything. Ah, wait. There's Hiccup. The presence of every dragon rider, in that case. Feidhelm stood in the back, a frustrated look on his face. But Feidhelm wasn't the type of person to throw out accusations or argue. He would quietly calculate every factor of the situation and try to escape. So, he settled for a cold glare as Viggo stepped towards the cage, a dragon hunter holding the chest of rocks and gold. He wondered if they'd noticed the rocks yet.

"Quite clever of you, not bringing a chest full of gold." So he had. "I'm surprised, almost… proud of your advancement in strategy. Still, you needed enough to be convincing. Though this isn't all of Berk's gold, I can only assume it is a great deal of it. But please know that it is all going to a wonderful cause." He gestured behind himself, where Toothless was muzzled. "As are your dragons."

"Toothless!" Hiccup shouted as his soulmate came into view.

"All of them." Toothless snarled as Viggo approached him. "This one will fetch a considerable price." He patted the night fury's head, and Toothless could do nothing to stop him. "Almost a pity to sell him but, I'll get over it." He turned to make direct eye contact with Hiccup. "If you're good, I may even let you watch." Viggo walked away, Hiccup approaching the bars with anger evident on his face. Aran placed a gentle hand on his back.

"Hiccup, we **have** to get out of here and stop them from selling our dragons."

"We will, Fishlegs."

"How?"

"This guy is killing me." Tuffnut gestured to Fishlegs with a nod of the head.

"Oh, I'm killing you?" Aran stepped up to the bars, wondering if they would still believe in Feidhelm. Probably not. He'd made physical contact with Hiccup.

"Hey Gobber, what do you think these walls are made of?" Hiccup looked around. Before Gobber could answer, Tuffnut rammed his head into the wall, falling to the ground immediately.

"It **feels** … like iron ore." He got up, wobbly. "It's tough to run through."

Ruffnut had a sadistic grin on her face as she suggested he do it again. He did. He proceeded to confirm that it was iron ore. Gobber could only shrug with an amused smile on his face. Hiccup looked thoughtful, not really sure what to do with the information. Luckily, he didn't have to do anything, because Grump showed up. Gobber lured him to the bars with rocks from the cell, Aran quickly explaining that Grump could bite through dragonproof metal according to Ryker. And the bars of the cell just happened to be made of dragonproof metal. Really, Grump saved the day. Aran apologized that Feidhelm had been such an asshole to him. The group escaped, freeing all the dragons they came across. Soon it was chaos outside.

"Everyone, to your dragons." Hiccup commanded. "Check the decks of the ships that are leaving."

"We'll find them, Hiccup." Fishlegs responded confidently, and the twins started clapping.

"I like the attitude, Fishlegs." Aran could only assumed that he'd missed something in his time spent as Feidhelm.

"Toothless." Hiccup said quietly, and they all began to split up. Astrid stayed behind slightly, as Aran was sort of dragonless. He made to follow Hiccup. "Aran, no."

"If you go alone, you could die." He protested.

"Aran, please." Hiccup grabbed both of his hands in his own. "If they find out how much I care about you, they won't hesitate to use that against me."

 _(I couldn't live with myself if he got hurt because of me.)_

"..." Aran frowned, saying nothing. Before Hiccup could protest, he reached up to capture his lips in a kiss. It wasn't too difficult, because Hiccup was already a little hunched over to look him better in the eyes. " _Don't die before I can say with certainty that I love you._ " He whispered before pulling his hands from his grip and running after Astrid, who was staring at them with wide eyes.

Aran only allowed himself to glance behind him to see Hiccup shaking himself out of whatever daze he'd been left in and turning to find Toothless. After finding Stormfly, Aran and Astrid mounted her, taking to the sky just in time to avoid being hit by a flaming tree. The riders met up in the sky, coming from different directions with their dragons. Hiccup was the last to join them, but when he did so he looked glum. They'd lost the gold they borrowed, after all. Gobber reassured him. If Aran hadn't suggest they use rocks to add weight to the chest and leave more of the gold at him, they would have lost **all** of Berk's gold! Plus, Aran had saved three coins. They were in his gloves. He was a little sad to part with them, though. Feidhelm would miss those pieces, if he was ever relevant again. Despite losing the gold, however, the mission had been a success on every other front. Hiccup looked nervously at Aran and Astrid, Astrid meeting his nervous stare with a look that very clearly said they were going to talk about what had transpired in front of her. He may have survived the mission, but now he found himself worried he wouldn't survive the conversation that would follow.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,608**_

 **To anyone who was worried about my mental state: I am feeling much better now! I worked things out with my girlfriend, we're still together, no worries! I'm okay now**

 **If you want to know what the heck happened with everyone who ISN'T Aran/Feidhelm in this chapter, watch the episode lmao. It's the second to last episode of season 3. Also this was such a fun chapter. I'm never going to describe Hiccup's smell the same way twice because there are just So Many smells he can smell like?**

 **Johann talks about his daughter who I made up because the plan is for her to be with Snotlout eventually but I might write an entirely new fic for her because WOW Snotlout is a complex character**

 **Hiccup's quotes in parenthesis are from the previous chapter**

 **Feidhelm was so fun to write. I might do something original (i.e. not fanfiction) that involves Aran trying to live life but fuckin... Feidhelm is somehow the spirit of some rich pretentious Irish guy who gets stuck in Aran's body or something and they have to go to Saibaile lmao**

 **Also I forgot to mention last chapter but I made a modern AU where all of the dragons are human and the group's siblings** **and college age (except Toothless, bc Toothless is a genius or something so he's in college despite being Hiccup's age) and it's very self indulgent and I wrote a oneshot for it where Hookfang is genderfluid and the dragon friend group watches like Grease, and Rent, and Hedwig but then Snotlout walks in and there's some weird sibling bonding and Spitelout also a terrible person but like there's so much. Please talk to me about it if that sounds fascinating, because there's also other stuff like Valka being schizophrenic and Hiccup being severely depressed haha**

 **I have so much to say in this author's note I am so sorry? Last thing before I respond to another confusing guest review! I'm gonna skip like. A bunch of episodes. I... I honestly might skip season 4. Who knows though, I need to see if there are any episodes I really NEED to write (like this one. I really needed to write this one it was so good). Next chapter if going to be original, I'm not gonna write an episode next chapter because I want some Hiccup/Aran things that involve Hiccup being conflicted bc on one hand it's weirdly attractive to see Aran transformed into Feidhelm but on the other hand he misses his freckles. PLus I mean talking about love and stuff. Astrid found out about them too so I'm going to address that. And I remembered like. Mearog's mother was wounded to point of death when Aran found her and Mearog's egg? I never? Elaborated? I don't know, I might do it in this fic, I might save it for another one, we'll see what happens.**

 **Anyways! Guest review time!**

 **From: literally Hitler (Guest)**  
 **-**

 **literally Hitler:oh my god! a fucking gender fluid OC! XD i'm sorry, i'm sure you're a good writer and all but I cant help but burst into laughter whenever you refer to Aran as 'they'. This story is absolute gold!**

 **Reply: umm... I... I can't tell what message you're trying... to convey? Like it was startling enough that. Your chosen name is literally Hitler, but I also just? Don't know if your reaction to Aran being genderfluid is? Positive or negative? You clearly seem to like the fic (because it's "absolute gold" apparently lmao thank u) but I'm really confused about your reaction to they/them pronouns. I use they/them pronouns like. Those are my main pronouns so I'm. I'm very confused and not sure whether or not I should be offended? GOD why are all the reviews I'm confused by and need answers foR FROM GUEST REVIEWERS AHHH**

 **Anyways stepping away from that confusing bit of work. It is 4am. I have to go to Saturday school in 3.5 hours. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I know I sure as heck did, and I'll see you next time!**


	28. Star'gay'zing

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

The flight back to Berk was nowhere near as pleasant as the previous flight had been. Instead of being able to cuddle up to Hiccup and take in the comforting scent of pine needles and dragon scales, Aran was left sitting stiffly behind Astrid, trying his best not to touch her. Astrid sent Hiccup looks every now and then, and Aran pitied him. At least he wouldn't have to deal with Astrid's interrogation… right? Wrong. Very wrong. Halfway to Berk, far away enough so the other riders couldn't hear her, she spoke.

" _So, that was a kiss._ " Her voice was light, and Aran wondered why she was speaking Irish. It wasn't as if the language could be used for secret conversations anymore. Him and Hiccup had taught all the other riders Irish over time on the Edge.

" _Yeah. Yeah, it was._ " He didn't really want to elaborate, but he was sure she was making a frustrated face. " _We do that sometimes._ "

" _Oh really? And how long has that been going on?_ "

" _Only a couple weeks. Since the day Dagur showed up on the Edge._ " He saw Astrid's shoulders tense at the mention of their fallen… acquaintance?

"If you hurt him, I won't hesitate to sever your head from your body." She threatened, and Aran didn't doubt her.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting him." Aran said softly. "I want to be able to tell him I love him, one day." There was a moment of quiet, punctured only by the sounds of the wind and Stormfly's wings beating. Somewhere in the distance, the twins were causing mischief.

"... I think he may **already** love you." One could almost hear the smile in her voice.

Aran felt a little flustered, a smile making its way onto his face. By the time the group landed on the Isle of Berk, it was dark, and nobody was awake. Astrid dismounted before helping Aran down, and she immediately walked over to Hiccup. There had been an unspoken agreement that they would meet up the next to day to determine the next course of action. Hiccup still needed to report to his father on what had happened during the mission, after all, and Stoick was likely asleep. It was nearing three in the morning, after all. Aran watched Astrid drag Hiccup off somewhere, likely to talk to him about his and Aran's relationship. The group dispersed, and Aran followed Toothless who had been making his way to Hiccup's room. He didn't really want to go to his own house with Méaróg still on the Edge. Maybe he could convince Hiccup to give him a ride to the Edge and retrieve him if they were going to stay on Berk for a while.

It had been an awfully long time since Aran had seen Hiccup's room. He watched Toothless burn the slab of stone he claimed as his bed before curling up. It was cute. He smiled. The room hadn't changed much since he'd been around. There were more books, and several sketchbooks that had been filled to the brim. Aran sat on the floor as he looked at them, using a candle to see in the dark. Many of the drawings were old ideas for weapons, back before Hiccup had even met Toothless. It was weird to see them. Others had designs for Toothless's tail and saddle. A more recent sketchbook had Hiccup's attempts to be more realistic, drawings of Toothless making various facial expressions filling the pages. A soft smile made its way onto his face, and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw several drawings of himself. Sometimes, they had charcoal scribbled over them because Hiccup felt he hadn't captured his image properly. It was cute.

"Aran?" Aran glanced up, seeing Hiccup in the doorframe. He clicked his tongue.

"How many times need I remind you I am Feidhelm of the golden kingdom Saibaile?" His voice was cold and haughty, but he couldn't keep the smile off of his face when he finished, pushing the drawings back to where he'd found them as he stood and walked over to his boyfriend.

"Ah, of course, how could I forget?" Hiccup said, a smile on his face he placed his hands on Aran's hips, pulling him closer. Aran draped his arms over his shoulders.

"Well, Feidhelm's not a very nice person. Kind of an asshole, really. Pretty cute, though."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I know this guy named Aran and he's way cuter." Aran laughed, breaking eye contact out of embarrassment.

"And why's that?"

"He has freckles on every inch of his skin. One day I want to try and kiss every single one of them." Hiccup sighed, and Aran shook his head in amusement.

"You have freckles too. Not as many as you did before I left, but they're still there." He supposed he was right, but he didn't find them particularly attractive on himself. Then again, he didn't really find himself attractive at all. He was honestly at a loss when he tried to think of why Aran could possibly like him back. "Do you miss my freckles?" Hiccup blushed.

"Maybe…" He said quietly. Aran smiled.

"Well, it's not like the makeup is covering every part of me." Aran trailed a hand down Hiccup's arm, placing it over his larger hand. "If you're good I might let you see." He teased. Hiccup kissed him.

"Thank you… for- for not following me when I went to get Toothless." Aran smiled.

"You probably would have been too busy worrying about me to defend yourself against Viggo, and where would that have left me?" Hiccup laughed, pulling Aran closer into a tight hug. He mumbled something. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Hiccup…"

"How… How close do you think you are to…" He stopped talking again, and Aran squeezed him. "To loving me…?" His voice was quiet.

"Pretty damn close. I don't think I'll need much convincing." Aran began leaving light kisses along his jaw, smiling at the feeling of stubble. He would never be able to grow anything on his face, but Hiccup could probably be sporting a beard in a couple years if he wanted to. Must be a Haddock thing. Aran reached a hand up to brush against the scratchy skin. "When was the last time you shaved?"

"Mmm, probably a day or two ago. I was going to get around to it again after I woke up." Aran nodded, running his thumb along the thin, pale scar on his chin.

"I like your stubble."

Aran left a few more kisses on his jaw before trailing to his mouth. Their lips met, but before the kiss could deepen, Hiccup broke it. The shorter male frowned, about to question him when Hiccup explained that he didn't want his neck to cramp up due to their height difference. He supposed that was a fair point, but wasted no time in returning to the kiss. Not wanting his boyfriend to strain his neck, Hiccup pulled the two of them to his bed, Aran quickly assuming a position on his lap without breaking the kiss. Hiccup wasn't even sure when Aran's tongue had made its way into his mouth, but he found himself suddenly disappointed by the loss of it. The Irishman pulled the hem of his shirt up, and green eyes locked on the freckles skin that was revealing itself. Hiccup muttered a quiet curse as a now shirtless Aran shifted in his lap.

"Need any help with that?" Aran asked, amusement in his voice. Hiccup's face burned, and he refused to look his boyfriend in the eye, instead making a valiant attempt to count his freckles. He gave up somewhere around twelve and a quiet gasp escaped him as Aran's hand trailed lower.

And that was what lead to Hiccup's first handjob. It was embarrassingly short, but Aran didn't comment on it. At that point, Hiccup was exhausted. It was understandable, considering the events of the day, the time of night it was, along with the fact that he just had all of his energy sapped from him. Aran slipped under the covers with him after removing the taller boy's prosthetic foot. The leather armor had been discarded at some point he couldn't care to remember. It was warm under the blankets thanks to the shared body heat, and Hiccup smelled of tree bark, mountains, and basil. Aran vaguely remembered that they hadn't shared a bed in about five years before drifting off to sleep.

Aran was cold when they woke up. Sitting up revealed that Hiccup and Toothless were definitely gone, and they felt disappointment well up inside them. They hadn't been thinking about it at the time, but a part of them had hoped they could wake up to the sight of his peaceful sleeping face. Hearing uneven footsteps walking up the stairs, Aran allowed themself to slouch, sitting cross legged and resting their head on their hand as their elbow placed pressure on their knee. They met Hiccup's eyes and the two of them smiled before Aran slipped out of bed. They were still shirtless from the previous night, and their makeup had rubbed off in their sleep for the most part. The braid Heather had done for them was messy at this point, but that didn't really matter to them as they hugged their boyfriend.

"Looks like someone's awake." Aran made an indescribable sound as they buried their face in his neck.

"I'm cold." Came their muffled and unrelated reply. "You weren't there to keep the bed warm for your poor, shivering lover." Aran lamented, and Hiccup laughed.

"Sorry. Maybe next time." Hiccup broke the hug. "I got your clothes from Astrid earlier. You should change so we can meet up with the others."

Aran took the clothes from him, feeling no sense of modesty as they stripped and changed into their usual outfit. Hiccup's face was a little red as they left the room. Stoick was out doing chiefly duties, thankfully, so Aran didn't need to be snuck out. It was surprisingly late in the day, and Aran felt a little embarrassed from sleeping so long. Hiccup assured them that he'd only been awake for a few minutes before them, and they supposed that made things better. The two of them made their way towards Meade Hall, Aran hating the fact that they couldn't hold hands. They gave Hiccup a handjob last night, and yet they couldn't even hold hands in public. If Hiccup noticed their mood, he said nothing about it.

It seemed the rest of the dragon riders were already in the great hall, in various states of awake. Snotlout looked rather tired, so he was likely the last one of the bunch to wake up, not counting Hiccup and Aran. Astrid and Heather weren't sitting as close as they would normally, and Aran didn't miss the frown on the blonde's face as she sent occasional glances to her girlfriend pressed against Fishlegs's side. Of course they couldn't be open about their relationship now that they were back on Berk. It occurred to Aran as they sat down between Hiccup and Snotlout that Stoick probably didn't even know Hiccup and Astrid had broken up. That was a bit weird to think about. Hiccup let out a sigh as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand, eyes sliding shut. Aran (correctly) assumed he hadn't eaten and proceeded to get the two of them plates of food. Astrid eyed her ex boyfriend curiously, wanting a distraction from the frustrating fact that she couldn't lean over to give Heather a kiss.

"Sleep well?" Hiccup's cheeks flushed.

"Y-yeah, after a while." He mumbled.

"Okay, what are you not telling me?" Hiccup glanced around.

" _You know, I really surprisingly don't want to talk about that when there are so many people around._ " Or ever. Never talking about it sounded good too. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Hic." She punched his arm, taking care not to leave a bruise. Hiccup appreciated the gesture, but it still hurt.

"Let's just say someone wasn't in the mood to sleep in their own bed last night." He said, lowering his voice as a villager walked by. Hiccup took a bite out of some bland food that he wasn't quite sure the origin of. "Astrid, no." She had been giving him a rather suggestive look, and his cheeks flushed red. "Stop it." Before she could continue pursuing the matter, he spotted his father from across the room. "I still need to report to my dad." Astrid groaned.

"Ugh, fine." She scooted away from Heather, closer to Aran as she claimed Hiccup's abandoned seat. "So, what did you and Hiccup do last night?" Aran laughed.

" _I gave him a handjob._ " They said it so very bluntly that Astrid was startled. "No joke." She blinked at them.

"Wow." Now she wasn't sure if she had wanted to know that. Her attention was then captured by Stoick laughing very loudly and Hiccup looking very embarrassed.

"You didn't actually think I'd let you be gone for your birthday, did you?" Aran looked at Astrid in confusion.

"Dad, it's not my birthday…"

"His birthday is coming up?" She thought for a moment.

"No, not until next year-ish." That hadn't cleared up anything.

"Hiccup was born on a day that only happens once every four years." Fishlegs explained excitedly. "Because he's the chief's son, and his birthday only happens once every four years, we always throw this huge party!"

"And let me tell you, it is **awesome.** " Tuffnut jumped into the conversation.

"Yeah, like, last time was crazy. Man, you should have been there, Aran. I'm like, super convinced that Loki was there." Ruffnut added on eagerly, and Aran laughed.

"So… Hiccup isn't even five?" They had been under the impression that he was reaching about nineteen years of age, but they supposed he was really only four.

"Gods, you have **no** idea how annoying it is to have a four year old cousin." Snotlout sighed dramatically.

"Snotlout, I'm not four." Hiccup groaned as he walked up behind Aran. Aran wanted to lean back, feel his arms wrap around them, but they knew that wasn't the proper course of action.

"It's a really uncomfortable age gap, Hic. I can understand you wanting to hide the fact that you're seventeen years younger than me." The group looked surprised, attention falling away from Hiccup as they looked at the Irishperson. "What?"

"That would make you twenty one." Heather blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, well, I'm twenty really, but I'll be twenty one come this summer." They took a sip of their water, having finished their breakfast already.

"I can't believe this has never come up in conversation before." Fishlegs stared at them, and they shrugged. "Hiccup?"

"Oh, I've known that since we were all thirteen. They told me on like, their first day on Berk." Snotlout opened his mouth. "I have been alive for almost nineteen years, even if my birthday doesn't come around as often as yours does." Snotlout closed his mouth.

Conversation continued, and Aran drifted into silence, wondering what to get their boyfriend for his birthday. It didn't take too much thinking to get an idea, and a grin showed up on their face. They would have to look for it later, but they were sure Hiccup would love it. Aran decided they would celebrate Hiccup's not-birthday with him before going back to visit Ireland indefinitely. Of course, they would have to speak with him about it before they left, but they had almost a month to do so. It would be fine. The group went about conversing, only stopping when Stoick approached. They stared at him.

"Is there something we can do for you, Chief?" Astrid asked. Stoick smiled.

"Ahh, just wanted to see my future daughter in law!" He joked. Tuffnut looked like he was about to say something, but his sister elbowed him in the ribs very violently before he could. Hiccup laughed awkwardly, and Astrid frowned.

"They broke up." Unfortunately nobody had been making sure Snotlout didn't say anything. He received dirty looks from the smarter half of the group. "What?"

"Er, well, I'm sorry to hear that." There was an awkward pause. "I actually came over to get a report on your mission from Aran's point of view. He was the one who actually attended the auction, and I don't know how much I can trust Gobber's story." Aran rose to their feet.

"That sounds fine. Don't wait up for me, I need to drop by my house afterwards so I'll probably be awhile." They exchanged a small smile with Hiccup, wishing they could kiss him goodbye.

"See you later." Hiccup noticed brown eyes flick down to his lips briefly, and he felt a pang of guilt.

Aran went with Stoick, giving their side of the mission as he went about his chiefly duties. Every now and then, the chief would ask questions, and Aran would do their best to answer them. Upon finishing their report, they went to their house, just as they'd said they would. The item they had been looking for was exactly where they left it, and they put it aside for safekeeping. Around two hours had passed over the course of them leaving with Stoick, reporting to him, heading to their house, and searching for the gift they planned on giving their boyfriend. Not sure what they wanted to do, they scratched their head. This served to remind them that their lovely red hair was being smothered by the dark hair dye, and they elected to wash themself and trim their hair.

After doing so, they almost called for Méaróg. They frowned upon remembering their sibling was still on the Edge. They supposed they could send a terrible terror to fetch them, but they wanted to see them as soon as possible. It also occurred to them that they'd left their pouch behind, and thus didn't have their tin whistle or drawing book to busy themself with. A frown made its way onto their face as they wandered about Hooligan Village, kicking rocks around in boredom. They spotted Gobber working in his smithy, and went over to him. After grabbing his attention, Aran asked if he knew where Hiccup was.

"Hiccup?" He laughed. "That boy was just looking for **you!** Honestly, the boy couldn't be more obvious." Gobber chuckled, and Aran fixed him with a look of confusion.

"Obvious…?"

"Well, the boy's been in love with you for years. You should have seen him when you left. It was pitiful- couldn't even focus on sharpening a sword properly. He broke more than he'd ever want to admit." Aran blinked.

"Wait, you're okay with this?"

"'Course I am. It'd be a bit hypocritical of me if I wasn't."

"Huh." Aran remembered something. "Ohhhh, **that's** what Stoick meant when he kicked me out and sent me to live with you because we had something in common." Aran smacked their forehead. Gobber looked amused. "This has been a revelation."

"Go find your boyfriend. I think he misses you." Aran laughed.

"Will do."

They left after Gobber told them the general direction the chief's son had gone in. They found him in the stables, about to mount Toothless. Seeing as nobody was around, Aran took the opportunity to sneak behind him and hug him. Hiccup jumped slightly, not having noticed them enter, but relaxed upon seeing they were alone. He turned around and returned the hug, kissing them on the forehead. Aran leaned up to kiss him on the cheek before releasing him and going over to scratch Toothless under the chin. Hiccup offered to take them on a flight, and Aran was more than happy to accept. The two of them mounted Toothless, and were soon flying high above Berk. Aran sighed, wrapping their arms around him and nuzzling close. It was peaceful up there in the sky.

"Gobber knows about us." Before Hiccup could react, they continued speaking. "He thinks it's kinda funny how obvious you are. Honestly, I can't believe I didn't realize he was the same way." They laughed.

"... That's… strangely relieving, and also kind of explains a few things." Like why his first wife (Greta, was it?) was so hideous, and why his relationships had never lasted particularly long. Aran hummed.

"Hey, Hiccup?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going back to Ireland after your not-birthday."

"Oh…" He tried not to sound disappointed. He failed.

"I'll be back before you turn five though, don't worry." They laughed, and Hiccup rolled his eyes. "And we can send each other terror mail, yeah?"

"Yeah. We can do that."

"Can we go get Méaróg?"

"Right now?"

"I mean, the sooner the better, but I understand if-" Toothless was suddenly changing course, and Aran laughed, tightening their hold on their boyfriend. "Now is good, thanks. I miss them already, and it hasn't even been a week."

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you, what should I think of you as when you're not male?" Aran blinked, not understanding. "Like, instead of my boyfriend."

"Datemate?" It was the first thing that came to mind. "Datefriend." Hiccup laughed.

"Well, it works." Aran gasped.

"Hic, by the time you finally turn ten I'm going to be forty two. I don't know if this relationship is going to work out with that kind of age gap."

Hiccup laughed, and they made the trip to the Edge in two days, making one stop to sleep at night. It was freezing, and Toothless allowed the two of them to cuddle up under his wing, using it as a blanket and relishing in his body heat. Aran took advantage of how isolated they were and cuddled close to their boyfriend. It was warm there despite the cold surrounding them. This time, Aran was able to wake up to Hiccup's peaceful, sleeping face. After waking him up, the two of them ate breakfast and made the rest of the journey to the Edge. Méaróg tackled the redhead as soon as they'd dismounted Toothless, and Aran proceeded to wrestle with them for old times sake. As always, they lost, Méaróg lazily pinning them to the ground by laying on top of them. Aran wheezed.

"Toothless, help, they weigh an actual ton."

"I don't want to spoil the fun." Toothless gave them a shit eating grin.

"Hic, babe, your dragon is an asshole."

"I resent that." Hiccup crouched down beside Aran, glancing up at the sky. It was getting late, and the sun was already starting to set due to the time of year it was. "Wow."

"What?" Méaróg let them up, and Aran gasped, catching sight of the sunset. "Wow."

The two of them got up and walked the short distance to dangle their feet over the edge of the landing dock, Aran pressed into Hiccup's side, arm wrapped around each other's waists. It was pleasant, and Aran wondered when they'd last painted a sunset. They shared a quiet moment, and when the stars began to show themselves, Hiccup pointed out some constellations. Aran listened, wishing they had remembered the constellations their mother used to tell them about. It seemed Hiccup was content running his mouth about the Gods and the stars though, so Aran supposed it didn't matter. The two of them realized they were hungry after some time had passed, and went to make a quick meal in the clubhouse before retreating to their room. Aran followed Hiccup to his bed without a second thought, burying themself in his blankets as he removed his armor and prosthetic foot. Hiccup hesitated slightly as he joined them, and Aran wrapped their arms around him, chest pressing against his back.

"I thought I was the big spoon?"

"Nope. I want to hug you."

Sleep came to them easily, and they woke up at approximately the same time. Aran went to get their belongings together as Hiccup put his armor and foot on. They made their way to their dragons, and Aran noticed that Méaróg had brought Corcra and Mathilda along. Corcra seemed eager to get back to Berk and see Stormfly again, and Aran laughed at that. They wondered if he would ever give up. Hiccup and Aran mounted their dragons and took to the sky, flying towards Hooligan Village with the nadder and nightmare following close behind. The trip back was done in less time than the trip to the Edge, due to the fact that Hiccup remembered he hadn't told anyone they were leaving. They landed by Aran's house, so they could drop some things off, before making their way back towards town. They ran into Astrid and Heather.

"You two!" Astrid marched over. "Where-" She saw Méaróg. "Why didn't you tell anyone else you were leaving?"

"Well, it- it was kind of a spur of the moment thing." Aran nodded.

"It's good to know they weren't offed by Viggo when we weren't looking." Heather commented. "Come on, I'm sure you're hungry." The Berserker smiled at them, and the four of them made their way towards Meade Hall.

After explaining that him and Aran had left to retrieve Méaróg, everything seemed to return to normal, and the dragon riders enjoyed nearly a month of relaxation, not going back to the Edge. There were more than a few things they couldn't do back on Outpost Island, including (but not limited to) tipping yaks, and avoiding Gustav Larson. Having retrieved their tin whistle, Aran returned to their hobby of playing upbeat music for others to dance to, and every so often they found themself wanting to draw out their surroundings. It was quite a strange sense of peace, considering what had been happening with Viggo. Hiccup seemed to be unable to stop thinking about their nemesis. Fishlegs, Heather, Astrid, and Aran spent more time than they'd like simply reassuring him that after the events at his auction, Viggo wouldn't be launching any attacks yet. Despite Hiccup not actually having a birthday that year, his father insisted on him staying until the day after his birthday would be if it existed.

Aran thought it was a nice break, but it occurred to them that after they left for Ireland, the dragon riders wouldn't have a healer. They approached Fishlegs and taught him as much as they could in that month, leaving their books and notes with him. They were all written in Irish, but when Aran tried to apologize, Fishlegs insisted it would be a fun challenge. Hiccup's not-birthday was rapidly approaching, and Aran was more than ready for it. They were sure he'd love their gift, and they were excited to tell their friends back home everything that had happened in the seven or eight months they'd been gone. It hadn't even felt like that long, but they had so much to tell them, and they couldn't wait to see how their hometown had changed in the time they'd been gone.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,503**_

 **bad chapter terrible chapter ew this is pretty much just filler and not good ahhh**

 **Anyways, if you're wondering why I've been updating infrequently, it's because I've been actually trying to catch up in school, and I've been playing a lot of Fire Emblem Fates (the gay hack is a blessing and I love save editing). No worries though, I don't plan on dropping this fic!**

 **Also please tell me if you actually enjoy my Hic/Aran stuff bc it feels super self indulgent and I'm shy abt it for some reason. I need validation ahhh**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed reading this more than I did writing it? See you next time!**


	29. Love You Too

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

As Hiccup's not-birthday approached, Aran was not so unobservant to miss that Hiccup was spending increasingly more time with them alone. They felt somewhat guilty for planning to leave after the day, but they also felt guilty for leaving their parents for so long in the first place. That did nothing to stop them from enjoying time spent with their boyfriend, who was progressively becoming more bold in their romantic and sexual endeavors. When they were alone, of course. Hiccup wouldn't even touch them in public, let alone hold their hand. They hoped things would be different one day. Some nights, they would spend in each other's rooms. Usually Aran's, because in Aran's house they couldn't be walked in on by Hiccup's father.

Many late night conversations started with Hiccup apologizing quietly as they cuddled, half asleep under the covers. He had probably thought they were already asleep, and was always surprised when they responded, asking him why. It was always the same sort of problem, with Hiccup feeling guilty for making them keep their affections hidden. Every day he would notice the brief little movements of them wanting to hug him, or their brown eyes flicking to his lips before looking away. He felt the same urges, but he'd grown accustomed to pushing his feelings and emotions down his whole life, hiding them behind a thick layer of snark, sass, and sarcasm. Aran wasn't like that. Aran had lived their whole life being a very open person until they came to Berk. They always tried to reassure him that it was fine, but he knew they were just saying that, and it did nothing to comfort him. All he could do was spend extra time with them alone, letting them be clingy and returning their affections tenfold. One day, he told himself. One day things might be different.

" _Hey, Hiccup?_ " The night before his not-birthday was one of those late nights spent in Aran's bed, enveloped in each other's warmth. If Stoick was aware that his son wasn't sleeping in his own room, he said nothing of it.

"Yeah?" His voice was quiet. The two of them had just finished a very long conversation about his insecurities, and he probably would have started crying if he wasn't used to thinking about how terrible he was.

" _It's really fine that we have to keep us a secret._ " They nuzzled closer to him, practically burying their face in his chest.

"Aran…"

" _I don't care. It'd be nice to be open about it, but if this is the only way then that's just how it is._ " Hiccup sighed, combing a hand through their hair.

"You should be with someone who isn't too scared to be affectionate in public."

" _But I wouldn't love them like I do you, so where's the fun in that?_ " Their voice was soft, and turned to a mumble at the end. Hiccup's breath hitched in his throat slightly.

"... Love you too." He responded, equally soft.

The only response he received was their slow, even breathing, and he deduced that they'd fallen asleep in the brief pause he'd taken to gather his thoughts enough to respond. A small smile made its way onto his face as he shifted, adjusting their position on the bed to be more comfortable. When he looked out the window, he wondered if they'd said that the moment the world skipped past his birthday the third year in a row. The next day would be full of festivities, though not nearly as exciting as his actual birthdays were. As he drifted off to sleep, he vaguely thought that this was a better gift than whatever material objects the villagers who hadn't cared about him in the slightest before he took on the Red Death would give him.

The next morning, he woke up to the sound of Aran singing some song in Irish he didn't recognize. He thought he heard something about the Cliffs of Dooneen, but he wasn't paying particular attention as he put his foot on. The smell of something cooking reached his nose as he walked towards the living room, and he was greeted by the sight of Aran cooking breakfast. It was a rather domestic image, and Hiccup smiled softly before stifling a laugh when they spilled something on the ground and let out a curse. They huffed, then looked up to see Hiccup in the doorway.

"You're not supposed to be awake yet." Hiccup raised a brow. "I was going to bring you breakfast, but **clearly** I _fucked_ that up." Upon further inspection the meal was also slightly burnt.

"It can't be worse than Astrid's cooking." He went over to them, giving them a peck on their temple.

"Still… I know it's not actually your birthday, but I wanted to do something." They chewed the inside of their cheek, then made to toss the food in Méaróg's direction.

"Hey, wait, I don't care if it's a little burnt." It really wasn't that bad. The two of them had a pleasant breakfast. "I should probably be heading back home. Dad might be looking for me."

"Wait for me?" They were in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes the best they could. Hiccup waited, standing by the door. "Sit down." They insisted, and he raised a brow, wondering how it could possibly take them that long to wash two plates.

"Okay." Hiccup responded idly as he sat on the couch, watching the fire crackle. It was pleasant.

Aran left his line of vision, and he must have zoned out momentarily, because he was suddenly aware of them sitting down next to him on the couch, holding something wrapped in dark green cloth and tied by a brown string. They handed it to him, and Hiccup frowned. It wasn't even his birthday, so why were they bothering? He didn't want anything from them, and he continued to frown as he held the object. It was… rectangular. The cloth was too thick to determine anything else. Aran looked at him expectantly, and he sighed as he fiddled with the string.

"Aran, you didn't have to get me anything." Their smile didn't waver.

"I know. And I didn't." They pushed his arm slightly. "Come on, open it!"

Hiccup fixed them with a very neutral but somewhat disapproving look as he tugged at the string. It unraveled easily, and when he pulled the cloth apart he was met with the sight of a very familiar book. The book was bound with leather that had been worn down over the years, but the engraving and inkwork were still perfectly visible, carefully detailing every groove of the tree that marked the cover. Celtic knotwork was visible in subtle ways, and the thin leather belt and dull metal button keeping it securely closed. The button had a series of lines and knots that seemed to feed into each other endlessly. Every blemish in the leather was familiar, and Hiccup ran his fingers over each and every one of them. He didn't bother opening the book. He knew what was inside. Hiccup looked up to meet Aran's warm brown eyes. They looked satisfied.

"Aran, I can't take this, it's yours." They shook their head, scooting closer to rest their cheek on his shoulder, arm around his waist.

"All the pages are full. It's not like I need it anymore." A freckled hand clad in fingerless gloves reached over to join in the act of feeling the cover. "I remember when we were younger, and you were upset about something you didn't want to talk about…" They undid the button somewhat clumsily with their non-dominant hand, opening the book to somewhere in the middle. Hiccup recognized a drawing of what he could only call a fairy. The woman had insectoid wings, large eyes, and dark skin like tree bark. Her clothing was made up of dark vines and leaves. Aran had called her Mamum. They'd drawn her before not long before arriving on Berk. "I would just let you curl up next to me and look through my sketchbook."

"Yeah…" Hiccup remembered those moments with a weird sort of bittersweet fondness. Aran leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "Are you really sure about this?"

"Yes. I want you to have it." They made to kiss him again, and Hiccup turned to meet it halfway. Aran hummed against his lips, making no move to deepen the kiss. When they broke apart, Hiccup let out a breathy sigh.

"I love you." Aran blinked several times, eyes going wide and freckled cheeks turning red. Hiccup pressed his forehead to theirs, closing his own eyes. "You said it first." He pointed out.

"Did I…?"

"Last night. Right before you went to sleep." Sure, it was sort of indirect, but they didn't need to know that. "I-I can pretend it didn't happen, if you want." Aran kissed him briefly, and Hiccup opened his eyes.

"No, I think I do love you." They smiled. "I just hadn't expected you to say it."

The two of them spent longer than necessary cuddled on Aran's couch in front of the crackling fire, not really looking at their old sketchbook. Hiccup set it aside in favor of kissing them, and he was in a wonderful mood until he realized his dad was probably definitely wondering where he was. He reminded them of this, not bothering to keep the disappointment off of his face as he separated from them. Aran gave him one last peck on the lips before standing and pulling him up with them. It always startled Hiccup to think about the fact that Aran was still significantly stronger than him despite now being half a foot shorter than him. He supposed he shouldn't really be that shocked though, if Astrid and Snotlout were any indicator. Hiccup wondered why in Hel's name he was so… tall, when he was used to being so short. He made sure to grab Aran's (his?) sketchbook before following them out the door.

"Happy birthday, Hiccup!"

"May the gods bless you this year."

"Happy birthday."

"Yeah. Thanks." Hiccup hunched his shoulders at the attention. He really never liked his not-birthdays. Or his birthdays for that matter. Aran snickered at him.

"Hiccup!" Ah, and there was his father. Stoick approached the two of them. "I was going to make you breakfast, but I couldn't find you." His eyes flicked over to Aran.

"O-oh, right, uhh, yeah, I was-"

"We took a flight around the nearby islands last night, but Hiccup started feeling like _shit_ so we went back to my place and he ended up falling asleep on my couch." Aran provided pleasantly, and Hiccup nodded along with the story. It was mostly true, save for the fact that he hadn't fallen asleep on the couch.

"I'm fine now, though. I must've eaten too much before we left." He hadn't actually had anything to eat before going back to Aran's house. His terrible feelings had come from a bout of anxiety that had hit him out of literally nowhere and nearly caused him and Toothless to crash into a seastack due to his body's sudden wish to cease existing.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." There was an awkward pause. "I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday." Hiccup nodded. Ever since he'd met Toothless, he'd spent his not-birthdays flying around and avoiding everyone. He couldn't avoid his **actual** birthday, though.

"Thanks. I'm probably just going to spend the day flying or doing…" He glanced down at Aran. "Something." Aran snickered. Stoick nodded.

"Well, if you need anything, just… let me know." They had an awkward exchange of nods. After Stoick was safely out of range, Aran spoke up.

" _So, am I something?_ " Hiccup blushed.

"A-Aran!" Aran laughed, covering their mouth as they let out an unattractive snort. Hiccup found himself laughing as well, and it took them a while to catch their breaths. "Gods, you're like a… a thirteen year old Snotlout." The redhead snorted again, devolving into laughter once more. Hiccup let them cling to him in an attempt to stay upright, an amused grin making its way onto his own face.

" _Maybe, but I'm cuter._ " They winked, sending him a cheeky grin when they regained a regular breathing pattern. Their face was red from laughing so much.

"Well, you have a point there."

" _I'm cuter and you looove me._ " Aran teased, batting their eyelashes, and Hiccup blushed, unable to keep the smile from his face.

"Gods, why do I even know you?" Aran laughed, pushing him slightly.

" _Love you too, babe._ " They swayed somewhat awkwardly, eyes having locked onto his lips slightly before they leaned away, remembering that they were kind of in public. Aran glanced around, suddenly locking eyes with Snotlout. "Shit. Speak of the devil and he doth appear…" Hiccup raised a brow.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry. I guess you guys don't have that idiom. Snotlout is over there," Aran jabbed their thumb in Snotlout's direction. "And judging by how startled he looks, he probably heard and understood all of that." Hiccup looked panicked, green eyes going wide as he looked towards his cousin, who was currently looking away, uncomfortable. "You think we should go talk to him?"

"No." Hiccup denied immediately.

"... He might tell someone." Hiccup sighed, relenting. "Béalsnot!" Aran called out, and Snotlout looked as if he was resigning to his fate as the two approached him. "How's your day been?" His blue eyes flicked between the two of them, and he looked like he was thinking back to all of the moments he'd seen them together. He probably was. He definitely was.

"Oh, y'know, just suddenly wondering if, **y'know.** " He looked between them again. Hiccup frowned, uncomfortable as he looked to Aran.

"Yeah. Y'know." They shrugged, seeming very at ease with the situation. "Don't tell anyone, though. _It isn't the kind of thing we want someone like the Chief finding out about._ " Snotlout nodded, still uncomfortable.

"Right. I mean, it's- it's fine." He crossed his arms. "I mean, with Astrid, Heather, and Fishlegs, it's. It's fine."

"You know, you're taking this a lot better than I thought you would." Hiccup commented. Snotlout only looked more uncomfortable.

"Uh, why wouldn't I be taking it this well? Y'know. Astrid, Heather, Fishlegs." Aran suspected he wasn't telling the full truth. Speaking of the those three, Aran saw Astrid walking down the path, axe over her shoulder as she humored a young girl who was clearly enamored by her. "I'm gonna go." Snotlout said suddenly, and Aran doubted they would ever get an explanation for that. They wouldn't.

"Laochra!" Aran shouted. Her reaction was belated, and they suspected she'd forgotten her own nickname. They caught her last words towards the little girl before she approached them.

"Remember not to let men push you around. Us girls are tougher than they'll ever be, and we don't need them." Aran smiled. "What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing much. _Snotlout knows about Hiccup and I, though._ " Astrid looked startled. "He seemed okay with it. You and Heather probably softened the blow." She nodded.

"That's good, at least. What about Fishlegs and the twins?"

"I was thinking we should probably tell them." Hiccup said quietly.

" _Well obviously. Otherwise they'd have no idea why you're moping so much and getting so excited over the weekly terror mail._ " Hiccup blushed.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

" _Gobber told me he couldn't even sharpen a sword properly when I left last time._ " They whispered loudly to the blonde girl. Astrid let an amused smile slip onto her face.

" _Oh, it was awful. He was so distracted I thought he was going to lose his other foot just by walking through town._ "

"Oh hey, there's Fishlegs." Hiccup announced loudly, causing the large boy to approach them.

"Why hello there!" He smiled pleasantly. "What are we talking about? I thought I heard Irish."

" _Hiccup is my boyfriend._ "

" **Aran!** "

"You know, I really should have seen that coming." Hiccup groaned. " _I can see why, too. Your personalities click really well together, and looks don't hurt either._ "

" _Wait, Fishlegs, are you into guys?_ " Astrid questioned suddenly.

" _I don't see why gender should play any part in attraction._ " He shrugged. " _And the view that being more submissive in a romantic relationship leads to being a poor leader seems terribly unsupported. I've never found evidence of it being based in truth._ " Fishlegs stated in a very matter of fact manner.

"Holy _shit_ , coséisc." Fishlegs's nickname had manifested as a direct translation of his name translated to Irish. "You're amazing." He beamed. "Come on, Hic, I wanna find the twins." Hiccup groaned.

"Aran, what in Odin's name makes you think they won't tell everyone they meet?" Aran grabbed his wrist, despite wanting to aim lower and intwine their fingers. They started dragging him off.

"They won't! Or at least, I know I can make Ruffnut keep a secret for me. I love Ruff. Ruff is great." Hiccup frowned. " _Platonically._ " They added. Hiccup frowned less.

"What about her brother?" Aran waved him off with their free hand.

"If I can convince Ruff, I can convince Tuff." They found the twins sneaking around behind people's houses. "Ruffnut! Tuffnut!" Aran hissed. "Secret Secret Club meeting!" The twins looked at each other before promptly dropping a large, damp, burlap sack. Frogs began hopping out of it.

"Secret Secret Club?" Hiccup raised a brow as Aran dragged him off to the forest.

"Well, the twins and I made a Secret Secret Club to plan out super complicated pranks that we mostly wanted to pull on Snotlout. We never got around to doing any of them though." Hiccup laughed, and Aran didn't stop moving until they were safely in the forest. "Okay, this should be far enough."

"Aran, wh-" Aran pulled him down for a kiss. He blushed, looking towards the twins. "That really wasn't the way I was planning on doing this." Hiccup stated. Aran waved him off.

"I thought Secret Secret Club was for messing with Snotlout." Tuffnut pointed out.

"But it's also for keeping secrets!" Aran exclaimed.

"You know, they have a point." Ruffnut said, and Aran made an odd sound in the back of their throat as their cheeks flushed red. Of all people they expected to pick up on their pronouns, Ruffnut was not one of them. Tuff hummed thoughtfully.

"Dear sister, I do believe you are correct!" He wave a finger in the air. "A forbidden romance, hidden from his father. His lover, agreeing to hide their relationship no matter how much they want to tell the world. Their friends, joining in on the elaborate secret. Oh, the drama! Oh, the intrigue!" He put a hand over his heart rather theatrically. Hiccup let out an amused chuckle.

"Well, thank you for… that?" Aran was hiding their face in his chest. He put his arms around them. "Aran?"

"Oh my god, I'm so happy." They giggled, returning the hug. Ruffnut let out an 'aww' but Tuffnut didn't seem to care.

"So like, we were supposed to be filling Snotlout's room with frogs." Tuffnut changed the subject, not interested in his friends romantic endeavors.

"Shit!" Ruff looked around before punching her brother. "You let the frogs escape!"

"No, **you** let the frogs escape!"

The twins began to fight, and Hiccup laughed. Him and Aran took the moment after the Thorstons left to give each other tight hugs. Their next course of action was to get Toothless and Méaróg fed and ready to fly. Flying vaguely south, Aran had a brief thought. They took a moment to debate whether or not to say anything.

"Hey, Hic?" The brunet turned his head to look at them. "Would you…" Aran stopped talking. "Ehh, never mind, it's dumb."

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering if you'd be interested in coming to Ireland with me." They kept talking when Hiccup said nothing. "Not for a long time, I mean… Just for a few days or something. I know you're busy with the dragon hunters and Viggo and everything, but I wanted to ask." Aran shook their head.

"I'd love to." They looked over to see wide green eyes staring back. Hiccup bit his lip and blushed, looking away. "I mean…" He didn't continue the sentence, instead laughing in slight embarrassment for his belated response.

"Oh!" Aran squealed a little, something they would deny later. "I can't wait for you to meet my parents! They already love you, trust me. I told them all about you and Toothless and Berk the last time I saw them."

"Ah, back when I was a talking fish bone instead of one of those tall, skinny trees?" Aran nodded. "That's hard to believe." They gasped.

"No! You were still cute when you were a fishbone." Aran insisted. "Everyone is going to love you, I swear." Hiccup smiled softly at their unwavering certainty in the matter. "They already do." Aran smiled back.

"Sorry for finding that a little hard to believe."

"We're landing right now so I can kiss the insecurity out of you."

True to their word, Aran instructed Méaróg to land on the nearest island. Hiccup and Toothless followed with an amused chuckle. As soon as he dismounted, Hiccup was pulled down into a messy kiss, which was quickly ruined when Toothless ran by them to tackle Méaróg. The night fury hadn't bothered to make sure his tail didn't hit them, and the two humans fell into a painful pile on the ground. They groaned before laughing about the situation and deciding to explore the island, hand in hand. Neither could stop grinning, Aran pointing out various plants and berries as Hiccup gestured to the evidence of dragons. The island seemed to be home to some timberjacks and terrible terrors amongst other things. A young timberjack about the size of a large dinner plate approached them at some point, and they'd played with it before going on a quest to find its mother. The mother hadn't been particularly happy to see them with her child, and they likely would have been in serious danger had Toothless and Méaróg not come to the rescue.

After that little adventure, they decided to head back to Berk for something to eat. It was a little past the usual dinner time, so they found the majority of the group gathered at a table. Only Fishlegs was missing. He had eaten lunch early before leaving to spend some quality relaxation time with Meatlug before the long flight they would all be taking back to the Edge. Well, most of them at least. Hiccup and Aran sat next to each other after grabbing their plates. Astrid shot the two of them a smile, and Aran noticed she had a hand entwined with Heather's.

"Happy not-birthday, Hiccup." She would have probably punched him (in a friendly manner!) had her hand not been occupied.

"Thank you." He tried not to sound unappreciative.

"Where have you been all day, anyways?" Heather, taking a swig of whatever it was she was drinking. It was too early in the day for mead, so Aran assumed it was probably water.

"Oh, y'know." Aran answered for both of them. "Running away from angry timberjack mothers."

"You know, that reminds me of the time **I** ran from an angry timberjack mom."

"Tuff, that was a typhoomerang. And all of us ran from it." Ruff rolled her eyes. "Idiot." Heather decided to interrupt the twins and redirect the conversation to Aran and Hiccup.

"How did you guys end up in that situation?" She leaned forward slightly. Hiccup opened his mouth to speak, but Aran beat him to it.

" _So we were on a date-_ "

" _I hardly think that classified as a date._ " Aran gasped.

" _What? We had a romantic flight and kissed and everything! It was totally a date._ " Hiccup rolled his eyes. " _Anyways, we were on a date, and Hiccup got all weird so I made us land so I could kiss him but then Toothless knocked us over and we decided to explore the island. A baby timberjack felt like playing with us, and its mom wasn't very happy when we returned her baby to her._ " There wasn't much to say past that.

"What's wrong with Snotlout?" His cousin hadn't spoken a word since they'd joined the group. Snotlout looked up at the mention of his name, but saw Hiccup and Aran sitting just a bit closer than they needed to, and immediately looked somewhere else. Astrid shrugged.

"He's been like that all day. I'm sure he'll be back to normal by tomorrow."

"Hey, when are we heading back to the Edge? Chicken must miss me." Tuffnut wiped a fake tear away, and Aran laughed.

"You guys can go whenever you want." Hiccup answered, not including himself in that sentence. Of course, Astrid caught onto it right away.

"And where are **you** going to go?"

"Oh, y'know…" He trailed off, and Aran rolled their eyes.

" _He's coming home to Ireland with me like a good boyfriend so he can meet my parents and receive their blessing to marry me and give them grandkids._ " Hiccup's eyes went wide, cheeks flushing red.

" **Aran!** "

Astrid didn't even bother to stifle her laughter, and Heather giggled quietly beside her. Ruffnut was snickering, while her brother looked a little confused as to what was so funny. Snotlout only managed to seem uncomfortable. After the laughter died down, however, Heather realized something odd about that sentence.

" _Grandkids?_ " Aran blinked, biting their lip and looking at Hiccup.

"You know, suddenly I have to leave right now, immediately." They stood up, hurrying out of the great hall before anyone could stop them.

"Hiccup? Care to explain?"

Aran didn't get the chance to hear what he told them, and it wasn't until they reached their house that they stopped for long enough to think that he might have outed them to their friends. Méaróg noticed their sibling's distress immediately upon their return to the house, but their attempts to comfort them were waved off. The Irishperson went straight to their bedroom, sifting through the bookshelf they'd slowly been able to fill a decent amount over the years. It didn't take them a particularly long time to find the sketchbook they were looking through, and they immediately pulled it out before getting in bed, picking up a pencil from their bedside table after getting the blankets situated around them. Their hands were shaking slightly as they flipped through the sketchbook, ignoring the pages that were full and stopping on the first blank one they saw. The shaking didn't subside until they had gotten halfway through their first drawing.

"No, I actually really don't want to explain." Astrid opened her mouth to say something, but Hiccup held up a hand. "It's none of your business if they don't want to tell you." She frowned, obviously not liking whatever was going on.

"But I care about him- them. They're my friend too, you know." Though her and Aran hadn't gotten along for the two years they'd known each other before Hiccup brought peace between Hooligans and dragons, they'd bonded over hours upon hours of combat training and Astrid considered them one of her closer friends.

"And it's really not my place to tell you anything. I would never- _I would never say anything about you and Heather, so you should really just leave this alone._ " Astrid looked down at the table, eyebrows furrowing. The twins had gone oddly silent.

"... Do you think you should go after them?" Heather wasn't particularly close to Aran, but she felt an odd sort of kinship with them. They, like her, were not a Hooligan, and were a bit of an outsider amongst the dragon riders. She was sure they had their secrets, just as she had when she'd met the riders, and while she would have prefered to be alone, she had a feeling that Aran wasn't like her in that aspect.

"Yeah…" Hiccup glanced to the door, face unreadable. She thought she saw the semblance of concern, but that was all. "I don't know though, it might be a bit too soon." He bit his lip, and Astrid shoved him.

"Go talk to them. I want to make sure they're okay before we leave, and if- if you end up staying the night and leaving before we see you again, just make sure to leave a note on their door or something."

"And… tell them I'm sorry." Heather added quietly. She was the one who triggered the event, after all. The Berserker was feeling a tad guilty. Hiccup nodded.

After leaving Meade Hall, he knew for a fact that Aran would be in their house. When they were particularly upset, they liked to sit in bed and draw until they fell asleep. He hadn't seen it happen particularly frequently, as Aran tried to put a strong face on for him at all times, but there had been moments they couldn't help but feel completely terrible. Méaróg was lying beside the fire pit in the middle of the living room, and they lifted their head when he entered. The dragon whined quietly before putting their head down once more, looking towards Aran's room. Hiccup knelt down to give Méaróg a quick scratch on the head before walking towards the room, opening the door quietly.

As he expected, Aran was sitting cross legged on their bed, blanket around them as they hunched over, loose red hair blocking their face from his view. They were drawing in the sketchbook they used purely for making themself feel better. It had a plain cover that had been dyed black, and the pages were full of drawings of themself with just a little less curves, less hips, less thighs, just… less. Some of the drawings had facial hair. Others had sideburns. Their face lacked the soft round cheeks Hiccup was used to, and some of the drawings were almost unrecognizable, but he knew they were all supposed to be Aran.

He closed the door just as quietly as he'd opened it, and sat next to them, putting an arm around their waist. They jumped slightly, tensing and whipping their head up to look at him. Hiccup's heart hurt upon seeing the eyes he loved so much rubbed red from crying, and he pulled them into a hug. They buried themself in his shirt, returning the hug and attempting to press as much of themself as they could against him. There was no sobbing, and no tears would come because they'd already used them up. Hiccup combed his fingers through their hair, glancing down at their still open sketchbook. The drawing was (predictably) a sketch of Aran with more masculine features. They shifted positions until Aran's sketchbook and pencil were on the bedside table, and the two of them were lying down, blankets pulled up more.

" _You okay?_ " Hiccup wasn't sure to say. It wasn't often that Aran even let him see them like this. They always told Hiccup it was fine to be vulnerable, but they hated showing him this side of them.

" _Yeah, I just… I guess I just wasn't expecting Heather to pick up on that. Or to be scared about everyone finding out about me, especially after telling them about… us. Sorry if I ruined the mood at dinner._ " Hiccup sat up, pulling them closer to leave a kiss on their cheek.

" _Aran, it's fine. You don't have to worry about that, or worry about telling anybody._ " Aran looked at him with soft eyes, leaning up slightly to kiss him before pressing their cheek against his and rubbing them together slightly. " _What are you doing?_ "

"... _I like your stubble._ " They mumbled.

" _You've said that before._ "

" _It's because I… can't grow any. I just like feeling it against my face, I don't know._ " They sounded strangely embarrassed, and Hiccup felt his heart melt. Aran had mentioned their fondness for his stubble on multiple occasions, but had never given any context that pointed to why, so Hiccup had always written it off as weird. " _I know you think it's kind of weird, but-_ "

" _No! No, it's not weird, I just thought it was before, because I- I didn't know why, but now it's…_ " Hiccup wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, so he kissed their cheek. " _Sorry._ " He kissed them again. " _I love you._ " And again.

Aran didn't respond with words, moving to have their lips meet. They made out for some time, Aran's hand slipping under Hiccup's shirt and tracing the very slight lines that made up his muscles. Aran broke away from the kiss, asking out of nowhere if they could draw him shirtless. Hiccup wasn't sure why they wanted to, or why he agreed, but he soon found himself being removed off his shirt. They adjusted his position, and Hiccup raised a brow, not sure what this was all about. Aran wasn't satisfied with the expression on his face, and elected to fix it by kissing him. Hiccup was left with a rather dazed expression, and a bit of a goofy smile. They told him to hold that while getting the sketchbook they used for actual art, and he did. After a while, they finished the sketch, and told Hiccup he could stop posing. When Hiccup moved to sit next to them, he blinked in surprise at what had been drawn.

" _That's me as a merman again._ " Aran nodded, smiling.

"Everyone else has theirs hanging up somewhere, so I felt kinda bad that you were so uncomfortable with yours." Hiccup felt a little guilty. "I wanted to redo yours anyways, though. What did you do with the old one? I was hoping to use it as a reference." He thought back.

"I think it might be folded up in one of my old sketchbooks in my room. I'll have to look for it." Aran nodded, leaning into Hiccup. "What's that?"

"I'm drawing myself with you. I can draw another one without me, but-"

"No, I want you in the picture." Hiccup kissed their cheek. "I'm going to sleep. Don't stay up too long." Aran nodded as he laid down, and they missed his warmth. It wasn't as if they could draw and cuddle at the same time if he was going to sleep, though.

"I'll try not to. Thanks, Hic. I love you." They leaned down to kiss him.

"Love you too." Hiccup responded as he drifted off to sleep.

It was nice.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 5,761**_

 **Hey guess what! Aran is not a perfect human being with no insecurities! They just like to pretend they are lmao, gotta be strong for the bf. I'm kinda worried they're a Mary Sue/Gary Stu/whatever the fuck so I'm gonna take a Litmus test for them. I'm assuming you guys like them tho bc this is almost 30 chapters long?**

 **Anyways. I'm probably gonna get kicked outta my school or some shit :^) it's fine**

 **Fun fact: Hiccup was not planned to go home with Aran until much later but I remembered I never explained how Mearog's mom (Momrog?) ended up in Ireland when she's a desert wraith and should be living in the desert? So now I'm gonna do that thing or something and it should be resolved soon**

 **Anyways, enjoy! See you next time!**


	30. Hiccup in Ireland and Some Guy's Journal

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

"Is that it?"

"Almost! That's the last island we'll see before we get there."

Hiccup and Aran had been flying for two days, with frequent rest stops in between. The journey had been rather pleasant, despite the winds not being in their favor. As their destination came into view, Aran insisted they fly higher before landing. They wanted to show Hiccup the beautiful green plains that couldn't be seen anywhere in the Barbaric Archipelago. At first nothing stood out to him, but soon, the passed the mountains on the coastline, and he was amazed by the huge expanse of land covered in lush green grass. They flew a while longer before Aran lead him to their house, and the two dismounted their dragons after landing. Aran noticed that a small stable had been added to the side of the house, large enough for about four medium sized dragons. Seeing as both Méaróg and Toothless were medium sized, and Corcra and Mathilda had stayed home on Berk, their dragons would have plenty of room to rest up after the long flight. Aran smiled at the mound of sand in the stable. Clearly, their parents had had Méaróg in mind.

"Hey, Hiccup, we have a secret language again." Aran grinned.

"Oh, really?" He sent them an amused smile in return.

"Nobody here knows any Norse. It's all Irish."

" _Aran?_ "

" _Mum!_ " Aran rushed forwards to hug the shorter woman who had opened the front door upon hearing the commotion outside. Orlaith smiled warmly at them.

" _Canice! Aran is home!_ "

" _Aran!_ "

" _Dad!_ " Orlaith released Aran so Canice could hug them, and Hiccup stood off to the side a little awkwardly. " _Hiccup, get over here!_ " Aran called out to him, holding their hand out. Hiccup stood beside them somewhat awkwardly, well aware of the fact that he was taller than his lover's father. He found himself slouching.

" _So, this is Hiccup?_ " Canice asked, and Aran nodded. " _I have to say, he's not what I was expecting._ " Hiccup avoided eye contact, tensing when Aran's mother approached him.

" _He's very handsome._ " His cheeks flushed, and he looked at Aran, who had an innocent smile on their face. " _Just your type, I'd say._ "

" _Oh yeah, definitely. We've been dating for like, a month, month and a half._ " Orlaith smiled up at Hiccup and held a hand out to shake.

"My name is Orlaith." She said in heavily accented Norse. Hiccup looked at her in surprise.

"I taught her some basic things, but she doesn't know enough to have a proper conversation." Aran explained, receiving an understanding nod in response.

"Nice to meet you. _Aran already told you who I am, so I doubt I really need to say it, but my name is Hiccup._ " He took her hand, shaking it. Her grip tightened.

" _If you hurt him, I pray that God will strike you down._ " The smile didn't leave her face, and Hiccup felt a lump form in his throat.

" _I-I, I wouldn't dream of it Mrs.-_ " She laughed, her hold relaxing.

" _Please, call me Orlaith. This is your future father-in-law, Canice._ " Orlaith gestured to Canice, and Aran looked flustered for the first time that entire conversation.

" _Mum!_ " Their cheeks flushed, and Hiccup couldn't even tease them about it because he, too, was embarrassed.

" _Sorry about my wife._ " Canice smiled at Hiccup, and Hiccup could only nod back and try not to look as uncomfortable as he felt.

" _Oh, it's fine, haha… You know how moms can be._ " He forced a smile, but didn't miss the look of pity in Orlaith's eyes. Right. He didn't have a mom. They probably knew that. Don't mention moms if you want to avoid pity. " _So, uh, where should I put my things?_ " He hadn't really brought much with him, but he really wanted to get out of the awkward situation.

" _Oh, you're staying in my room, come on._ " Aran grabbed his hand and practically dragged him to their bedroom. It was pretty much the same as their room on Berk, just with more books, and a desk. Hiccup put his things on the floor by the desk.

" _So…_ " Aran pulled him down for a quick kiss. " _This is Ireland._ "

" _Yeah, well, you haven't even been to town yet. Come on! I want you to meet Finn._ " Hiccup frowned.

" _Isn't that your ex._ " He asked flatly, the question not even sounding like a question. He hadn't meant for his voice to come out jealous and irritated, but it had.

" _Well, yeah, but we're just friends now. We were never really serious._ " When Hiccup's frown didn't lessen, Aran leaned up to kiss him. " _I don't just like you for your looks, you big dummy._ " They hugged him. " _Nobody is going to come along and steal me away._ " Hiccup relented.

" _Fine._ "

Hiccup let Aran lace their fingers with his, shouting to their parents that they were going out to town. They were told to have fun, and Aran didn't let him slip his hand away as they approached town. Hiccup apologized, but they simply waved him off, knowing he was used to hiding their relationship. Aran introduced Hiccup as their boyfriend to everyone they greeted, and Hiccup felt a permanent blush on his face. Oftentimes, nobody would realize that he understood Irish and would talk about how they had expected him to look much different, and not as handsome. He would then awkwardly inform them that he understood every word they were saying.

" _Finn!_ " Aran called out in the direction of a tall blond male. Finn turned to face them, a grin on his face.

" _Aran!_ " He greeted them with an affectionate hug, and Hiccup crossed his arms, looking away. " _I didn't realize you were back!_ " Finn held them at arm's length.

" _Hello, here I am._ " They smiled. Hiccup was starting to understand what Orlaith had said when she said Aran had a type. " _Hope you didn't miss me too much._ "

" _Well, I might have missed you a little…_ " Finn caught sight of Hiccup. " _Who's this?_ " Hiccup forced himself to look at Finn, who had a curious look in his hazel eyes.

" _Hiccup. Aran's… boyfriend._ " Aran looked at him in surprise. That had been the first time he'd introduced himself as such, and when they caught the jealous look in his eyes, they giggled slightly. They stood on their toes briefly to give him a peck on the cheek. Hiccup blushed, putting an arm around them.

" _Oh. Sorry._ " Finn scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. There was a pause before he spoke to Aran. " _You really have a type, huh?_ " Aran shrugged.

" _Hiccup is cuter than you._ " They insisted. " _Must be his big nose._ " Neither boys had been expecting them to say nose.

" _Thanks for that._ " He rubbed his nose self consciously.

Aran spent time catching up with Finn, Hiccup mostly staying quiet and letting them have their conversation. Apparently Fin had started dating Betha, Aran's other ex. Betha looked a lot like Aran, if Aran was curvier, had black hair, and less freckles. Aran teased Finn about having a type as well, and Hiccup felt completely left out of the conversation. When the three of them saw Betha, Finn asked Hiccup if he thought she was cute. Hiccup blinked, shrugging without a word before looking helplessly at his lover. Aran tilted their head in curiosity, and Hiccup mumbled in Norse that he'd only ever been attracted to them, nobody else. They blinked several times, blushing and letting a goofy grin take over their face before pulling him down for a much more passionate kiss than he'd been expecting in the middle of town. When they released him, he was sure his face was flushed even darker than theirs. Betha had also approached, and after greeting her somewhat awkwardly, Aran took Hiccup's hand and separated from her and Finn.

Hiccup asked where they were going next, and Aran explained that they would be going to the bookstore. He hoped his instant relaxation wasn't too noticeable. As much as he loved seeing Aran talking to everyone they knew with an excited smile, he was more than a bit uncomfortable actually taking part in the conversations, and the whole thing was mentally taxing on him. He wasn't a social person, and he was drained. The bookstore smelled like old books, and Hiccup found himself instantly comforted. There were soft-looking couches he could see in the corner of his vision, and Hiccup wandered off as Aran talked to the owner of the store, likely telling him who Hiccup was. By the time they finished talking to him, Hiccup was curled up on one of the couches nearby, one of many books he'd picked out in hand. They smiled softly, getting a book of their own before settling against him.

"Oh."

"Hmm?"

"Isn't this Méaróg's species?" Aran looked up from their book (something about a small army of eccentric people banding together through strange circumstances and fighting a demon king) to glance at Hiccup's.

"Let me see that." He handed it over to them wordlessly. "Yeah, desert wraith." There wasn't much information on it. The species had a habit of hiding in the sand, so it wasn't as if many people were aware of its existence. "Typically found south, in the desert, hence the name. Relative of the sand wraith…" It was all information Aran knew already. "And… there's a drawing of an adult female… It looks like their mom."

"... You told me she died." Aran nodded. "You never told me how."

"That's because… I never knew. She was dying when I found her, covered in wounds. I was only four. I took Méaróg and left." Hiccup pressed his lips against their temple, and Aran felt the tension in their face leave. "Sorry, I haven't really thought about it before. It's bothering me now, though."

"Well, it'd be bothering me too. Do you… remember what her injuries were like?"

"All I remember is the broken wing." They sounded frustrated. "This was at least sixteen years ago, though. It makes sense that I can hardly remember." Aran glanced back down at the book. "Hold on…" They read the text more carefully. "This is talking about capturing it alive." Hiccup leaned closer to get a better look at the text.

"Who's the author?" Aran flipped to the cover. "Badr… Nejem?" They exchanged looks of equal cluelessness.

"I want to get to the bottom of this."

Hiccup nodded, and the two of them scoured the bookstore for any other books by the same author. There was only one, and it was in a language neither of them understood, so they proceeded to look for a book on translating that language. Unfortunately, that book translated it to a language they weren't familiar with, so they wound up with another book that actually translated to Irish. It was a bit much, and the shop owner thankfully let the two of them have the four books for free. Something about an early and late birthday present. Aran thanked him, and returned to their house with Hiccup in tow. People stopped to talk to them, but they only made brief conversation, attention now focused on the books and Méaróg's dead mother.

Neither of Aran's parents were home when they arrived, and Aran explained that they were probably working at the moment. They would be home to cook dinner, though, so they may as well try and decipher the book until then. After a few hours, Aran yawned. Hiccup said they could nap if they wanted. He would keep reading. Aran accepted the offer, cuddling up against him in bed as he continued to decipher the text. By the time Orlaith and Canice returned home, Hiccup had managed to get through about three chapters of the book. It seemed to be a sort of autobiography, or journal. This Badr Nejem person seemed rather ordinary, save for the fact that he traveled all over the world. He didn't even have the help of any dragons! Hiccup thought it was an impressive feat. Aran began to wake up, and after Hiccup explained what he had learned, they provided the distraction of leaving kisses all over his face. It wasn't until they were straddling him and sucking on his neck that he made to stop them. Not that he particularly wanted to, but…

"You realize your parents are home, right?" Aran stopped, looking at him and pouting. Hiccup put his hand where they had likely left a mark.

"Well now I do." Their eyes flicked to where his hand was, and they smirked. "Hiccy has a hickey." Hiccup groaned.

"Don't call me that." Aran laughed, kissing him to avoid promising anything.

" _Aran, Hiccup, dinner is ready!_ " Canice called out, and Aran begrudgingly stopped kissing their boyfriend.

Dinner was nothing too outstanding, but Hiccup found that it was more flavorful than what was usually eaten back on Berk. There were more vegetables. It wasn't until after dinner that he realized Aran's parents had probably most definitely seen the dark spot on his neck, and he wondered why they said nothing about it. A part of him wondered if they were just used to that sort of thing from Aran's previous relationships, and a pang of jealousy ran through him. He must have been making some sort of face instead of reading the book, because Aran nudged him, thick eyebrows furrowed in concern. Hiccup felt embarrassed by his thoughts, shaking his head.

"It's nothing important."

"Tell me." They insisted. Hiccup hesitated.

"... Your parents didn't say anything about…" He gestured to his neck.

"They never have. They trust me to be safe." Aran leaned over to leave a light kiss on the hickey. "Plus, it's not like I'm ever the one with the hickeys."

"Is that right?" Hiccup let them trail kisses up his neck and along his jaw.

"Well, I wouldn't mind one from you. A hickey from Hic-"

"Don't"

"... A hickey from Hiccup." He had to suppress a laugh at the disappointed look on their face. What could he say? He didn't like that particular nickname. "Are you seriously going to keep reading?" Hiccup raised a brow. "We've been at it for hours, don't you want to have some fun?"

"This is fun…" Aran rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, but not fun like…" They moved to sit on his lap, kissing him deeply. "Not like this…" Hiccup felt dazed.

"Well, I guess…"

He wound up giving them a hickey to match his own, but for the most part they busied themself with pleasuring him. The next morning, he found himself waking up under a blanket that wasn't quite as thick as the ones they used back on Berk, and no Aran beside him. After making sure he looked decent, he put his prosthetic on and left the room. He found Aran standing barefoot in the sand of the beach, looking up at the stormy sky. It looked like it would rain later. Hiccup walked over to them, sending them a curious look. Aran shrugged, saying the weather reminded them of the day they found Méaróg's egg. It was strange to think that Méaróg didn't even know what happened to their biological mother. Hiccup noticed they held Badr Nejem's journal, and when questioned, they explained that they had been reading the titles of the sections to see if they could narrow the information they were looking for to certain chapters.

"This one is about dragon poachers, apparently. It looks like it might have something useful in it."

Hiccup nodded, and the two of them went to the living room of Aran's house before it started to rain. They spent hours deciphering text as heavy clouds in the sky weeped. After learning that Badr had been exploring the desert when he was accosted by a group of mischievous desert wraiths, Aran had to put a hand on Hiccup's bouncing knee. He was jittery, and they suspected it was from being inside for so long. He hadn't even gotten a chance to fly Toothless! They pressed a kiss to his cheek and told him he could go out with the night fury for however long he needed. They would still be there when he returned. Hiccup responded with a kiss on their forehead, and Aran smiled, waving goodbye as Hiccup left the house.

The redhead continued to read, learning that after befriending the desert wraiths, he'd gone to stay at an inn not too far away. He'd woken up the next morning and gone downstairs to get breakfast when he overheard a small group of men talking about the hefty price such a beautiful striped hide would provide them with. Badr had immediately known they were talking about the pale pink dragons he'd met burrowing in the sand, and felt inclined to protect them, though he wasn't sure how. The poachers had noticed him listening, and after threatening him, he agreed to show them to the dragons. An act of cowardice, yes, but he feared for his life. Aran had been about to read on when they heard the front door opening. They looked up to see a very wet Hiccup shaking his head like a dog. Hiccup smiled sheepishly.

"You're ridiculous." They rolled their eyes. He'd been out for several hours.

"Me? Ridiculous?"

"Hey, what are you doing?" Hiccup gave them a weird look.

"Sitting down?" Aran gave him a weird look.

"You have to take a hot bath, or you'll get sick!" They stood up, grabbing his hand. "Where's Méaróg?" Their sibling was adept in producing long-lasting fire perfect for keeping a bath warm.

"They weren't in the stable." Aran nodded. The pink dragon must have gone on one of their long flights. They would just have to keep the fire going themself, with a little help from Toothless.

"Come on, I'll get the bath ready."

While most homes in the village only had a large wooden basin to serve as a bathtub, Aran's house had an entire room dedicated to the activity. This was because they'd constantly play in the rain as a child, and spent much too long in the bath anyways. They began getting things ready, but Hiccup only stood awkwardly in the doorway, clothes dripping water on the floor. After getting Toothless to start the fire, Aran turned to face their boyfriend, raising an eyebrow. Hiccup blushed, averting his gaze, and they rolled their eyes, walking over to him and pulling him into the room.

"I can't believe I literally sucked your dick last night and you're embarrassed to take your clothes off in front of me." If anything, Hiccup just turned even more red. It got him to get in the bath though, so Aran definitely wasn't complaining.

"What are you doing?" Aran had left briefly and returned with the books, as well as their sketchbook and some dry clothes for him.

"Well, I wanted to work on our merfolk portrait a bit, and I brought Badr's journal in case I don't want to continue. You just keep bathing, don't mind me." Hiccup nodded. "You have a cute butt." Hiccup ignored them. Aran laughed.

After a bit of drawing, Aran put their sketchbook down, pulling Badr's journal onto their lap. They tied their hair out of their face before beginning to read, summarizing everything they'd read while he was out, as well as continuing and telling him whenever they learned something new. Badr had gone along with the dragon poachers for a surprising amount of time. The poachers themselves didn't manage to capture the desert wraiths until a few months after Badr joined them. A pair of them were caught- one male and one female. They were clearly mates, and the female laid an egg soon after being brought into captivity. This caused her mate to grow more and more violent, as well as overprotective of her and their egg. Eventually, the poachers killed him because he was becoming too much for them to handle. Badr wrote about how awful he felt not being able to do anything about it. The mother dragon sent him a pleading look that he couldn't meet, and any sounds she made from then on had been of sorrowful warbling. Hiccup wondered aloud if that was Méaróg's mother.

Aran helped him out of the bath when they realized it had likely been around an hour. They handed him the clothes they'd picked out for him, explaining that even though their father was taller than them, he was still shorter than Hiccup, so his clothes probably wouldn't fit the best. Hiccup's clothes were hanging, but without the sun, they wouldn't dry for a while. They also helped him get his prosthetic foot back on, and the two of them retreated to Aran's room, Aran making sure Hiccup was bundled up in blankets. They didn't want him getting sick, after all! Hiccup thought their concern was endearing, and they cuddled into his side as he took over in reading the book.

After the death of the male desert wraith, Badr had felt the guilt consuming him. He had just finished writing a book detailing the best way to capture dragons in the land he was in ("That must be the other book we started with!") and the poachers seemed to trust him more. At that point, Badr made it his mission to make the mother wraith's life better. Sure, she was well fed and kept, but she was miserable with her mate dead. The only thing she lived for was her unborn child, and it was when the poachers began talking about taking the egg from her that Badr knew he had to act. He spent a few days stealthily getting keys for the cell she was being held in, as well as a way to let her know she could trust him (in the form of her favorite fish sprinkled with dragon nip). His grand plan to break her out consisted of only unlocking her cage and getting her to follow him. Aran commented that it seemed like the same sort of 'genius' plan Hiccup would come up with. Hiccup told them to shut up.

Unfortunately, the poachers saw the dragon and human escaping, and Badr had a hard time convincing her to leave him be and fly away to save herself. The desert wraith managed to escape, but not before sustaining heavy injuries. Badr himself was only left alone when the poachers thought he was dead. He awoke to the sight of an unfamiliar woman caring for him, and instantly fell in love. Her name was Judit. He stayed with Judit, growing close to her and not finding it in himself to care that Judit was the mother of a two year old girl named Iris. The child's father was apparently a trader, though Badr was unsure of what his name was. What he did know, however, was that Judit wasn't fond of him. Badr and Judit got married the next year, Badr being Iris's father figure. Every few years, Iris's birth father would visit her, but Badr never got the chance to meet him. He stopped eventually, when Iris began rejecting him.

"Do you think that's Johann's daughter? They have the same name." Aran thought for a moment.

"Maybe." They skimmed through the text, searching for clues that would point them towards Badr's current location. The book had ended with him settling down with Judit. They got up from bed and pulled out a map of nearby locations, Hiccup looking at it in curiosity as he'd never heard of most of those places. "Here." Aran pointed at a specific town after returning to Hiccup's side. "It's a popular trading port, so if we're assuming Johann is this Iris's father, it would make sense. Plus, there are a few things Badr mentioned that point to him and Judit living here."

"It looks like it'll only take a day to fly there." It was northeast. Aran nodded.

"That sounds good. And when we get there, we can ask around for Judit, Badr, and Iris." Hiccup hummed.

"And regardless of whether or not we find them, I think it would be good for me to head back to the Edge afterwards." Aran's lips turned down.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Aww, don't make that pouty face at me." Hiccup pushed them down onto the bed, hovering over them before pressing a kiss to their lips.

"I'm not pouting." They said as they continued to pout.

"If you're not pouting, I must have blue hair." Aran giggled, and Hiccup counted that as a win. They giggled more as he left kisses all over their face and neck.

"I-I have to draw you with b-bright blue hair now, oh my god!" Aran snorted. "Stop it!" They shrieked as Hiccup ticked them.

"Only if you admit you were pouting."

"F-fine, I was pouting! Pouting like a big baby!" Hiccup stopped tickling them, and it took them a while to stop laughing. "You're the worst."

"Love you too, Aran." Hiccup leaned down to kiss them, all playfulness gone. Aran returned the kiss, but before things could get too heated, Orlaith called out that dinner was ready.

"When did they get home?"

"I have no idea." The two of them untangled themselves from each other and left to get to the dinner table.

" _Mum, I don't know if Hiccup deserves your blessing anymore. He nearly tickled me to death._ "

Orlaith smiled at her child in amusement as she served the stew she'd made. It appeared the rain had stopped. Apparently her and her husband were trapped at Finn's farm all day waiting for the skies to clear up, and they got home just in time to make dinner. Aran explained that they were planning on going to find someone, and should be back within a week, but Hiccup would be leaving for Berk. Canice said it was a pity he couldn't stay longer, but Aran insisted this wouldn't be the only time he visited… right? They looked over at him for confirmation, receiving a smile in return. Hiccup said he would love to see them again, mentioning that he would stay longer if he didn't have so many responsibilities back home. That brought the conversation to Hiccup's life on Berk and the Edge, eventually leading to the complications of him and Aran openly being together. Orlaith smiled sadly, saying that at least they could be themselves down there in Ireland. That night, she hugged Hiccup very tightly before going to sleep, explaining that she probably wouldn't be awake early enough to see them off. Him and Aran were planning to leave very early, after all. Méaróg had returned from their flight towards the end of dinner, so there was nothing stopping them from leaving in the morning. As Hiccup pulled Aran against his chest, he only hoped they would be able to get to the bottom of whatever had happened to Méaróg's mother tomorrow. He didn't want such a heavy thing weighing on their mind any longer.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,507_**

 **Hiccup and Aran have a lot of implied sex, huh. In case you wanted to read any of that, well, sorry? I can't write smut anymore. Lost all my skill.**

 **Another unrelated thing I wanted to say is I had my first shot of testosterone on Saturday (I'm a trans guy kinda) and I'm very "AAAHHHH" because my transition is beginning and I am SO PUMPED! (tho, one of the effects of testosterone is that it ups your sex drive so who knows, maybe that smut WILL get written...)**

 **Next chapter will be fun, and the chapter after that should hopefully be the last chapter I write before the second movie starts...? Anyways, I got a really funny guest review~! It actually inspired me to write this faster so I could reply to it, so here it is!**

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 **This was a review on chapter one.**

 **Guest:** **Just for the record, you an your readers do realize that Hiccup is neither gay nor "gender fluid"?**

 **Reply: Well, it's clear to me that someone didn't even read the summary properly! Hiccup isn't** **genderfluid at all in this story, though I'm tempted to write something where he is, just to spite you ^v^ I've read a genderfluid Hiccup story, and that was a fun time, so who knows, I may just do one of my own now. Anyways, if you'd actually bothered to READ my summary, you would have seen that it is my OC, Aran, who is genderfluid, and not Hiccup.**

 **As for Hiccup being gay, well, that doesn't really matter, does it? This is fanfiction! Let people have a little fun! I personally have never been able to see Hiccup as a heterosexual (his relationship with Astrid is very forced, and she literally only exists to date him...), and if other people can enjoy this self-indulgent piece of literature, I'm more than happy with that! If you want to stick with the canon with your boring heterosexuals, go ahead, have a blast, but there's really no need to click on something that is CLEARLY not what you're interested in ^v^ If your intention was to have me change or delete this in some way, you obviously didn't take note of the fact that I was in the process of writing my 30th chapter.**

 **You're entitled to your opinions, yes, but so am I! And if you're going to say something like this, please, come off of Guest, I'd be more than happy to have a discussion with you. I hope you're happy to know that you're quite literally the first person to comment on one of my VERY gay fanfics and say "umm X isn't gay..." and that fills me with such joy. It makes me feel like a real writer, honest. Now, I know you're probably not going to read this because you are, in fact, a Guest reviewer, but if you do, really, I'd love to chat and try to figure out why on earth you felt the need to even leave a review like that on a fanfic like mine. I hope you have a very neutral life with no fulfillment, but also no extreme disappointment, because while you don't sound explicitly homophobic, you are sort of toeing the line.**

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 **I hate that the reviews I want to reply to the most are always guests! I have so many questions for them, really. I also probably wouldn't have responded in such a patronizing manner had that reviewer NOT been a guest :^)**

 **This chapter had a lot of fluff, and I gave myself the opportunity to develop a character I never thought I'd be able to develop in this fic.**

 **Anyways, I can't think of anything more to say, so I hope you enjoyed this mound of fluff and I'll see you next time!**


	31. And Then All of Season Four Happened

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

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Aran and Hiccup left to find Badr just as the sun was rising. As predicted, they reached the town Aran had narrowed the search to before nightfall. The sun was just beginning its descent in the sky as they landed, and they supposed their first course of action should be to find somewhere to spend the night. Between the two of them, they managed to scrounge up enough money for a room at the inn, but were forced to leave their dragons out in the stables meant for horses. Neither Toothless or Méaróg were happy about the arrangement, but Hiccup was just glad the town wasn't getting an angry mob together to kill the reptiles. Convincing the dragons to stay in the stables took longer than anticipated, and night had long since fallen when they flopped onto the bed, exhausted. Hiccup let his mind wander as Aran curled up against his chest. Something occurred to him.

"... Are you awake?"

"No." They responded, very much awake. Hiccup wanted to sit up and look them in the eyes, but he would probably lose his nerve if he did that.

"I've never seen you naked."

"Who has time for that when they can worship this beautiful specimen of a man?" Aran ran a hand under his shirt, feeling up his chest. Hiccup blushed.

"Well now you're just avoiding the subject." Aran went quiet, retracting their hand.

"... It's stupid." They continued before Hiccup could tell them that whatever the reason was, it couldn't be stupid. "I know you don't care about it, but I just have this part of me that keeps saying that you'll take one look at my junk and change your mind about me."

"Aran, I literally couldn't care less that you don't have a…"

" _A dick._ " They finished for him, as his plan was to trail off and leave the rest of it to be heavily implied. "I know you don't care, it's still just… scary. I get scared, sometimes. As much as I try to be this confident person, I still… I still just get… **scared.** "

"There's nothing wrong with being scared," Hiccup sat up, pressing a firm kiss against their lips. "But I want to show you that you don't have to be, if you let me." His hand trailed lower, and Aran slowly nodded.

The next morning, Hiccup woke up to the sight of a very naked Aran in his arms, and he decided not to move until they woke up. When they sat up and looked down at him, they immediately remembered the events of the previous night and proceeded to leave innocent kisses all over his face, mumbling about how much they loved him. It took the two of them a while to get up, and as they dressed, they agreed that they would ask around about Badr, Judit, and Iris.

Luckily for them, Judit was apparently an extremely popular barmaid, and her daughter was wanted as the wife of many. They weren't very difficult to find, but they were difficult to capture the attention of. Judit had been busy working, and Iris was nearby, ignoring everyone who talked to her in favor of looking through a picture book. Eventually, Aran just plopped themself in the seat next to her and poked her cheek. Iris glared at them, pushing their hand away. It was shocking to find vibrant blue eyes boring into them.

" _What do you want?_ " She asked as Hiccup took the seat next to Aran.

"Do you speak Norse?" They questioned, not deterred by her harsh stare.

"... Yes…?" Her voice had an odd mixture of accents that likely came from living in a trading town. It was unlike Johann's in that her accent had never had the chance to solidify into something decidedly foreign.

"And you're Judit's daughter? You live with Badr Nejem?" She looked confused as she nodded.

"What do you want with him?" The question came out cautiously.

"We found his journal in my hometown." Aran pulled it out of their pouch. "The later entries are about how he managed to free a desert wraith and her egg from poachers before finding a home with you and your mother."

"Yes, that is what happened. We don't know where she flew off to, or if her egg survived, though… Why do you want to know about it?" She looked tense, and Aran closed the book.

"No, wait, don't- I don't want to hurt anybody." They held their hands up as a gesture of peace. "Almost eighteen years ago, when I was four, I found a dying desert wraith with her egg on the beach near my home. It was too late for the mother, so my parents and I took the egg in and raised it as my sibling." Iris blinked her blue eyes, dark brows furrowing.

"I think… Badr should be near the port right now. I can take you to him." Aran nodded, grinning. "What are your names, again?"

"I'm Aran, and this is my bo-" Hiccup elbowed them. "M-my best friend, Hiccup." Iris gave them a weird look.

"Doesn't talk much, does he?"

"Who, Hiccup? Honestly, the guy never shuts up. I-" Hiccup shot them a look, correctly assuming they were going to say they loved it or something along those lines. Aran smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. He's just shy at first."

"Hmm, well, follow me."

They followed the tan woman away from the table she'd been sitting at, waiting off to the side as she explained where she would be going to her mother in some language they didn't understand. It was probably the same language Badr's journal was written in. Judit hadn't seemed fond of the idea of them going to the port for some reason, but Iris managed to convince her. She led the two through the crowded streets of town, occasionally flipping her curly black hair away and turning to make sure they were still following her. They were. The port only managed to seem more crowded than the streets, and they were surprised they never lost her. Hiccup and Aran gasped upon seeing the familiar ship she lead them to.

"Trader Johann?"

"Master Hiccup! And Aran, too! What a pleasant surprise!" Iris bustled past Johann, and they didn't miss the sad look on the trader's face.

"Badr!" She called out to a man who looked surprisingly similar to her, considering how they shared no blood relation. She then said something in that same language neither of them recognized. When she held up the journal, Badr's eyebrows shot up. He replied in the foreign tongue. Johann took pity on them.

"It's Arabic." He explained. "They speak it in Judit and I's home country. She taught it to Ilanah- Iris when she was young, and Badr learnt it early in his life as well."

" _Badr doesn't speak any Norse, so you should stick to Irish._ " Iris butted into their conversation, not sparing a second glance towards Johann. Johann looked a little miserable, and terribly guilty.

" _I never traveled that far north. It was too cold for me._ " Badr admitted. He was dressed rather warmly, despite Ireland's warmer temperatures. Then again, it was only the beginning of March.

" _Well, I just wanted to know…_ " Aran and Badr walked off, idly inspecting items on Johann's ship as they shared stories.

"I really wasn't expecting to see you, Johann." Johann's eyes flicked from Iris, who was idly inspecting her nails, to Hiccup.

"Yes, well, I try to come here once or twice a year." His voice dropped. "Never was quite enough, I'm afraid." Iris began looking at an intricate hand mirror. "Ilanah, dear, you can have that for free, if you so desire."

"... Okay." She didn't reject the name, but she did put the mirror down.

"Anything that captures your fancy, you can have." He continued.

"What about this book?" Hiccup flipped through a picture book similar to the one she'd been looking at when him and Aran met her. "It's full of things with wings." Iris approached him, giggling when she saw what looked like a chicken egg with useless little chicken wings sticking out of it and flapping around.

"I like it." She took the book. "Thanks, Hiccup."

Iris leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, and Hiccup tried not to cringe. Aran approached him from the side, startling him, and Hiccup stuck his tongue out in mock disgust. Aran giggled, kissing his other cheek before he could stop them. It hadn't been a very sneaky kiss, and Hiccup made himself intensify his look of disgust. Iris and Badr let out hearty laughs, but Johann only chuckled. He seemed to have something on his mind, but he didn't say anything. Aran informed Hiccup that Badr wanted to meet Méaróg, so they would be taking him to see them. Hiccup nodded, saying he may as well go with them. Toothless would surely be missing him. Iris looked at the two of them with wide eyes, and Hiccup tilted his head towards her, silently prompting her to speak.

" _You two ride dragons?_ "

" _Well, yeah, I'm from Berk and most of us do that around there now. Aran's lived with Méaróg their whole life, and they've been riding together even longer than Toothless and I have._ " Iris got closer, excited grin spreading across her lips.

" _Can I meet them? Oh, I've always wanted to see a dragon up close!_ " She covered her mouth with her hands as she squealed. " _What kind of dragons are they? I've always wanted to see a monstrous nightmare._ " Hiccup smiled, not noticing her inch closer.

" _Uhh, yeah, Tooth- Toothless is a night fury, and Méaróg is a desert wraith._ "

" _Ahh, Iris has always loved dragons. Johann and I's stories awakened a fire within her that never died._ " Badr said jovially. " _Come on, I'd really like to see- what did you call it? Méaróg?_ "

" _Yeah, Méaróg._ " Aran looked embarrassed. " _I named them when I was four._ "

Badr claimed that the name made a lot of sense for a four year old, and the four of them left Johann's ship, walking towards the stables they'd left the dragons in overnight. Toothless and Méaróg seemed to decide they much preferred to relax on top of the stables, apparently, and Aran was tackled to the ground when they got close enough. They laughed, pretending to fight with the desert wraith but not actually properly wrestling. Méaróg relented eventually, and Aran was allowed to stand up. Badr was looking at the pink dragon with a bittersweet smile on his face. He knelt down, putting a gentle hand on their snout and quietly apologizing to them in Arabic. Hiccup sent Iris a confused look, and she explained that he was apologizing for being unable to save Méaróg's mother. Aran put a hand on Badr's shoulder, telling him he should at least be happy that Méaróg survived the ordeal, and he smiled through his teary eyes.

Iris requested Hiccup's help in bonding with Toothless. It took her a few tries, but Toothless let her scratch him beneath the chin. Aran frowned at how much Iris was giggling, and suggested they go to a more open area. Toothless and Méaróg followed them by jumping from building to building, and they found their way to the plaza near Judit's workplace. Iris continued to give Toothless affection as Méaróg began to play with Badr, attracted to the odd flashy object hung around his neck. It was just a pendant. Judit came outside after her shift ended, releasing her curly hair from its tight bun. She spotted the group, amused smile on her face.

" _So this is the dragon you saved._ " She stood by Méaróg, arms crossed but relaxed.

" _Mama! Please let me go back to Berk with Hiccup and Toothless!_ " Iris begged. Judit's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

" _You think I'm going to let you go to a freezing little island covered in dragons with some boy you've just met?_ " Iris pouted. " _Without me?_ " Her face lit up, and she hugged her mother.

" _Thank you, thank you, thank you!_ "

" _Ah, well now I have to go, too. I'll just have to say goodbye to warm weather._ " Badr seemed more amused than upset. " _But, I'd be willing to do anything for my queen and princess._ " He jokingly bowed to Iris and Judit.

" _I just have to wonder how we'll be getting there._ " Judit frowned, scratching her chin in thought.

" _Well, Trader Johann hasn't left yet. Maybe he could give you a ride, if he's planning on going to Berk?_ " Judit cringed at Hiccup's suggestion.

" _That sounds like a great idea! Johann is so fun to speak to, honestly. So many stories to tell._ " Badr stated.

" _It might be our best bet, mama._ " Judit sighed.

" _Fine. Go ask him when he'll be leaving, and if he'll be willing to take us to Berk._ " Iris cheered, grabbing Hiccup by the hand and rushing off to return to Johann's ship. Aran scowled.

" _Jealous?_ " Judit's voice startled them.

" _W-what? No._ " They avoided looking at her. Maybe they were kind of jealous, but they knew that was stupid, because Hiccup would never date someone he just met. Or break up with them. Not after last night.

" _You remind me of how I was with my first boyfriend!_ " Badr remarked. Aran blinked. " _Yes._ "

" _I didn't say anything._ " Badr laughed.

" _I didn't say you said anything. You were giving me a funny look, though._ "

" _Okay, maybe I'm a_ _ **little**_ _jealous. Not a lot, though. Hiccup and I have been together for about two months, and I don't think some girl is going to come along and take him away._ " They about how Iris literally came along and took him away. " _Well, physically maybe, but…_ "

Both Judit and Badr laughed at that point, and the three of them made their way to the port. Iris and Hiccup approached them before they reached Johann's ship, and Aran frowned upon seeing her latched onto his arm. They were informed that Johann was more than willing to take them to Berk, they would just have to wait until the next morning. Aran was more than happy about that, but suddenly realized they didn't really have money for another night at the inn. Judit and Badr insisted that they could stay in the guest room, to which Iris immediately rejected due to there only being one bed. Before Hiccup could say he would sleep on the couch (or the floor, or something), Aran said it would be fine.

Judit proved to be a wonderful cook, and they had the most flavorful dinner they'd ever had in their lives. When asked what her secret was, she said she used spices. After the meal, Hiccup and Aran left the family to pack their belongings. They went on a flight, Hiccup trying out some complicated maneuvers with Toothless while Aran and Méaróg glided lazily, Aran playing music for their boyfriend and his dragon to fly to. Playing dramatic music on a tin whistle is very dramatic, but they tried their best. It was dark when they returned to the house, and Méaróg left to go sleep on the beach. Toothless found a comfortable spot on top of the roof after Hiccup apologized for not having a slab of stone for him to burn and sleep on. The two of them spent some time with the family before Aran said they were tired. Hiccup followed them to the shared guest room.

The next morning, Hiccup was woken by a very affectionate Aran. They smiled at him before initiating a lazy kiss. He didn't object in the slightest when they sucked on his neck, giving him a new, darker hickey to make up for the barely noticeable one that had all but faded away already. He did wind up pushing them away because Johann would be leaving soon, though. Not that he bothered trying to hide it. Or fix the hair Aran had messed up. When the two of them left the room, Iris caught sight of Hiccup's appearance and looked flustered, having realized why Hiccup had deflected all of her advances. Méaróg was waiting by Toothless, and it occurred to Hiccup that this would be the last time he saw Aran for quite some time. He stood there a little awkwardly, not sure what to say.

"So, uh, I'll- I'll see you later? Sometime?" Aran laughed, pulling him down for a kiss. Hiccup's eyes fluttered closed, and he returned it despite being in front of people he'd only met the previous day.

"See you in a year, you big goof. Love you!" They mounted Méaróg.

"Y-yeah, love you… too." He waved as they flew away. It was then that he looked at Iris, Judit, and Badr and felt embarrassed. " _So, uhh, Johann's probably waiting for you guys._ " Hiccup scratched his neck in discomfort, subconsciously covering up the hickey.

" _Wait, are you not coming with us?_ "

" _No, I'll be riding Toothless. He'll be faster than the boat._ "

" _Can I ride with you?_ " Iris's eyes practically sparkled, and Hiccup smiled.

" _Sure!_ "

Him and Iris mounted Toothless after he insisted it was completely safe- possibly even safer than a boat. Judit wasn't convinced until both Iris and Badr vouched for him. Iris handed her luggage to her mother and adoptive father before they took off, flying towards Berk. The tan girl put her arms around his waist as a preemptive safety measure, and thought it made him a little uncomfortable, he said nothing about it. She refrained from saying anything about his relationship with Aran, and instead asked him an endless stream of questions about dragons. The flight back to Berk felt as if it lasted only minutes, as Hiccup had been tapping into the nerdiest side of himself, but he knew hours had passed. When they touched down, it was night, and Iris had to get used to using her legs again. Hiccup helped her walk with him to Meade Hall in search of his father. Luckily, the search didn't last long.

"Hiccup, there you are! How was Ireland?" Stoick seemed to be in a good mood. That was good. It must be due to the coming of Spring soon.

"Oh, you know, I met a lot of people, found a bookstore…"

"And got a bit busy?" Hiccup slapped a hand over the hickey he'd forgotten about, eyes going wide and face flushing red.

"Oh, gods, uh, I can explain, it's-"

"This lovely young lady here, I assume?" Iris blinked, looking startled.

" _What is he talking about? I thought you were with-_ "

" _I am, I am! He just- he doesn't really know that, and I-I don't really know how he'll react, and- would you please be my fake girlfriend for like, a week?_ " Iris looked amused.

" _And what do I get out of it?_ " Hiccup floundered for a reward.

" _I will personally help you train your own dragon?_ " It came out as a question, but the look on Iris's face told him all he needed to know.

"Yes, it's me." Stoick looked a bit surprised by her odd accent. It wasn't Irish, and he couldn't place his finger on it… " My name is Iris. It's nice to meet you, sir…"

"Stoick the Vast, Chief of the Hairy Hooligans." He introduced himself with pride. "And Hiccup's father."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Chief." Iris curtsied. "My mother and her husband should be arriving in Berk in a week or so, along with Trader Johann."

"Yeah, so I was wondering if you could handle finding her a place to stay?" Hiccup requested. "I kind of have a **lot** going on back at the Edge that I shouldn't have left behind, but I was just so, so excited to see Ireland that, well." He tapped himself on the head to signify that he'd just forgotten.

"Yes! Yes, of course." Stoick looked towards Iris, then lowered his voice as she wandered away. "I just want you to know that I'm… I'm happy you're moving on from Astrid." Hiccup tried not to laugh.

"Right… Astrid…" He'd almost forgotten she'd broken up with him, which was kind of amusing because he'd made such a big deal about it at the time.

"I have to say, most people wouldn't spend so much time away from a new lover so soon!" He changed the subject, but it only served to make the conversation more uncomfortable.

"Well, I'm sure she understands, and if she doesn't, well, I don't know how long this relationship would have worked out anyways. The main reason she came back with me was because she's never seen dragons up close, and she really wanted to. Honestly, she cares about Toothless more than me." Before Stoick could even attempt to reassure him, he kept speaking. "Speaking of Toothless, though, I really need to get to the Edge as soon as possible, so we should go rest up. You probably won't see me before I leave, so… I'll see you later."

"Yes. Goodbye, and uh… Have a safe flight."

Hiccup thanked him before going to his room with Toothless to sleep. The first thing he did upon waking up at dawn that morning was write Aran a letter explaining how he somehow managed to wind up with another fake girlfriend. The letter also included some sappy things, including how much he missed them already, and how the Edge would feel kind of lonely without them now. He took care to add a doodle of Iris holding a generic dragon egg after he mentioned he would be helping her train her dragon in exchange for asking her to fake date him. Not long after that, he was rolling the parchment up and typing it to the leg of one of their mail terrors. Him and Toothless grabbed a quick bite to eat before setting off for the Edge. It was the middle of the night when he arrived, and nobody was awake, so he immediately went to sleep, tired from the long flight. He went to the clubhouse as soon as he woke up, knowing that Toothless would want to rest up from the long flights he'd been on recently.

"... And that, my dear friends, is why you never let Björn Boar near your changewing acid." Ruffnut finished a story, sounding rather solemn as the rest of the riders cracked up.

"What's this about Björn Boar and changewing acid…?" Hiccup questioned as he made his presence known.

"Hiccup!" Came a chorus of familiar voices, and he found himself smiling.

"When did you get back?" Astrid asked after hugging him. They were on pretty good terms now, despite the silly drama of her breaking up their fake relationship.

"Oh, just last night." Her eyes flicked to his neck and she opened her mouth. "Yes, Aran did that, and no, I'm not going to talk about it." Astrid closed her mouth. "So… What's been going on?"

"Meatlug has a minor wing sprain from our recent dragon hunter encounter," Fishlegs shot looks towards everyone who wasn't Hiccup. "But she'll be fine." Hiccup watched as Heather helped Astrid walk back to her seat at the table.

"Are you limping?"

"No."

"She got shot in the leg." Heather answered for her stubborn girlfriend.

"What!?"

"A hunter arrow was going to hit Stormfly, so I blocked it."

"With your **leg?** "

"It just grazed me. I'm fine." Astrid sat down, and Heather shrugged before mouthing her next sentence to him.

'It didn't just graze her.'

"Alright, has anyone else been hurt recently?" Hiccup asked, feeling bad for not being there sooner. Would he have been able to prevent Astrid from getting hurt if he had been? Everyone raised their hands.

" **I** got a thing in my **eye.** " Tuffnut stated, pointing at his eye. Ruffnut fixed him with a look of disbelief. Not that she didn't believe he got something in his eye. She just couldn't believe he counted it as an injury.

"You mean that tiny little bug?" Tuffnut leaned towards her.

"Hey." He sounded weirdly offended. "That bug was on a mission. A mission, to be in my eye."

"Oh, gods." Hiccup was once again wondering why he trusted these people to save the entirety of dragonkind from dragon hunters. Before anyone could say anything, he received a terror mail. His heart skipped a beat, thinking about Aran but knowing it couldn't be because it had only been two days. "It's from Viggo." He informed the other riders. "He wants to meet."

Maybe it was a good thing he wouldn't have to worry about Aran getting hurt anytime soon. It seemed things were starting to heat up on his end, and hopefully everything with a certain Viggo Grimborn would be resolved by the time he saw them again.

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 _ **Word Count: 4,131**_

 **What I mean by 'All of Season Four' is that I'm skipping all of season 4 of RTTE because... This fanfic is 31 chapters long and I haven't started the gosh danged second movie! Anyways, Ilanah (I call Iris by the name Johann gave her bc I have a friend named Iris and that's weird) is a cool gal and while yes, she was attracted to Hiccup, she more than understands that he's not available haha~ Ilanah, Badr, and Judit aren't going to be SUPER relevant because I'm probably going to write a fanfic where I pair Ilanah/Snotlout where her backstory is very much more relevant, and we get to see her thought process during this chapter, haha.**

 **I forgot what I was going to talk about in this author's note holy shite. Yeah, that scene with Aran and Hiccup at the beginning was weird to write about because it feels... private... But it's important for their relationship and it kind of humanizes Aran more bc like. They're... they're not a perfect person. If ur curious** **abt what they did that night, well, Hiccup fumbled around with them and embarrassed himself bc he has literally 0 sexual experience when it comes to NOT being a pillow princess and it was really funny lmao. Aran helped him get them off, but it was entertaining lmao. He knows better for the next time he tries to eat them out tho :'D rip Hiccup**

 **Anyways, I'd like to say that I Hate Guest Reviewers Who Leave Long Messages Like Holy Fuck I Want To Respond To You Properly Please I Would Rather PM You About This Than Have To Post My Response In The Latest Chapter**

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Guest (same one as last time): I was just asking a question . . . You might be surprised at how many fanfictions author know next to nothing about the original source material before they presume to change it-some seem to know only what they have read on other fanfictions. Hence the question. And also for the record, not that my opinion really matters, but, from what I have read of this story thus far, you are a fine writer. Finally, just a thought concerning your last comment, if asking a question is all that is required to be considered "homophobic" . . .

Reply: Hi! So I'm sorry about last time, I was EXTREMELY tired, and that last comment in my reply about you being borderline homophobic stemmed from me being very tired and also, I kind of am not the biggest fan of guest reviewers when I really want to talk to them and respond to them, and my brain viewed your review as hiding behind the Guest review so that you could avoid any sort of confrontation! It also REALLY rubbed me the wrong way that you started your review with 'Just for the record,' because that made me think you were trying to be kind of patronizing and I Hate Hate Hate that even though I'm a huge hypocrite and tried to patronizing right back at you! Basically there were just numerous factors that lead me to being irritated when I responded to you, so I would definitely like to apologize for some of that. You weren't homophobic at all, but...

It's kind of funny you should talk about knowing about the source material, because your previous review implied that you probably didn't actually really read much of my fanfic, like, at all, and only barely skimmed the summary. If you read more of the fic, or even just looked at my chapter titles (chapters 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, and 27 were named directly after the TV show, and episode titles from the show), you would know that I've been using the source material as a direct reference for a lot of my fic. I've also read the first few books (I own all of them on Kindle, but haven't gotten around to reading all of them), and although that isn't EXTREMELY relevant for this fic (because it's based on the Dreamworks adaptation), I have taken some little bits and pieces from it. I've watched the movies several times, and almost all of the TV show about twice (I didn't get around to rewatching Defenders of Berk, but I did watch the rest of it twice), so trust me when I say I definitely know the source material. Sometimes I go to the wiki, or some other source, because I forgot a very minor detail (i.e. Snotlout's eye colour), so even if I'm not able to pull the information off the top of my head, I generally try to fact check as I'm writing to make sure I didn't mess anything up.

I understand if you don't want to see the characters as anything but cishet, but I'm literally the exact opposite (I have LGBT+ headcanons for practically every character) so regardless of what the source material says, I'm guaranteed to make gender and sexuality head canons (unless it's Trollhunters because what the fuck the characters are so fleshed out and well done and heterosexual I literally cannot make them LGBT+ but that's fine because they're REALLY WELL WRITTEN). I would never write for something I'm not already invested and knowledgable in, so there's really no need to worry that I'm writing my fanfiction completely ignorant of how the characters are actually supposed to be. I just think everything is a little more interesting if it's LGBT+ because it can add a dynamic of insecurity and character depth that you wouldn't be able to find if the characters were cishet. A really good example of this is Snotlout. In the franchise's canon, all of his insecurities just kind of come from being afraid to live up to the Jorgenson name. In my universe (because really, it's my universe, and I'm not going to try and convince anyone my way is the "right" way) he also has the added fear and self-hatred of being bisexual (if asked for "evidence", I can pull out that moment he literally kissed Fishlegs, but things shouldn't really need concrete evidence imo) and not being able to be comfortable with himself, because he feels _wrong._ As a result, he overcompensates in basically everything. Skill, to try and live up to his family name, and excessive flirting with Astrid and Heather to prove that he's straight. I'm not trying to convince you that this is 100% how Snotlout is, because it's not, but I'd like you to consider it, and try to understand why someone might prefer to write something like that as opposed to, well... The usual straight stuff. If Aran was a girl and Hiccup was straight, this fanfic would lose most if not all of its drama. There would be no need for them to hide anything, and they would have gotten together a lot sooner, some other things wouldn't have happened, and things I have planned for the future wouldn't happen either.

Also I'd like to thank you for that compliment on my writing style. So, thank you! I personally think everyone's opinion matters (unless they're a close-minded bigot, which you are not).

(also I'm not gonna lie, the main reason I finished and posted this chapter so soon was because I really wanted to respond to you and you're still a Guest reviewer)

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 **That was super long winded but I had a lot to say oops? Slightly unrelated, but I think it's funny that I could write like, entire essays in one sitting if my school let me write about things I actually care about, like... You want me to write an essay about why Nick Caraway and Jay Gatsby were actually super gay for each other and Daisy should have left Tom for Jordan? Hell yeah, I can get it to you by the end of the week. You want me to write an essay about whether Nick or Gatsby was the protagonist? Umm. It's obviously Gatsby. That's all I have to say to you. Fuck you Mr. Wydevan. I hope you Suffer.**

 **Anyways, so sorry for the WALL of text, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll see you next time! (if you want me to write faster, here's a tip: leave me a very long and engaging Guest review and I will want to answer ASAP. The downside? I'll be frustrated that you're a guest reviewer and I had to write more of the story faster to respond to your awesome and thought provoking review.)**


	32. Birthday Surprises

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

If there was one thing that Hiccup learned in the year Aran was in Ireland, it was that they were absolute shit at communicating. He sent them a letter about once a week, keeping them updated on the happenings of the Edge, including, but not limited to, the events leading up to Viggo's eventual death as well as Dagur's miraculous return and how him and his sister left in search of their father, Oswald the Agreeable, who had actually **not** been murdered by Dagur four or so years ago. Astrid and Fishlegs weren't too happy about Heather leaving, but they promised to stay in touch. Aran, on the other hand, sent him a letter about once a month (if he was lucky) and just sort of rambled about whatever story or thought was on their mind. Sometimes, they would send him art. They'd sent him the completed painting of the two of them as merfolk at some point, and while he couldn't hang it up in his own room for fear of his father seeing it, he did have it stored safely between a few books on his bookshelf. As frustrating as the lack of communication was, he could accept that terror mail was not something they were accustomed to. They apologized for the infrequent replies every so often, so Hiccup was reassured that it was nothing personal and that they didn't secretly hate him or anything like that.

Hiccup was surprised to receive a terror mail on the day of his 20th… 5th? On the day of his actual real and not fake birthday. It was clearly Aran's penmanship, and simply requested that he go to their house that night. That put him in a noticeably better mood than his usual birthdays, and while he was sure some of the others (like Astrid and Fishlegs) noticed the change, they didn't say anything about it. They could probably guess what was putting him in such a good mood, after all. After most of the usual festivities, it was dark, and he found himself sneaking out of Meade Hall to go to Aran's house, eager to see them. Upon arriving, he walked in on something a bit awkwardly intimate, and events sort of… escalated from there. Aran embarrassedly muttered that they had been planning on simple cuddling and talking, but Hiccup informed them that he more than appreciated the unexpected birthday present. They then commented that it was good that Hiccup and Iris had finished fake dating, because if they hadn't, this would have been considered fake cheating. Hiccup laughed.

The next morning, Hiccup filled them in on the little details he'd failed to include in his letter, including an explanation of what the fuck he'd added to his prosthetic. It was incredible that over the year they'd been gone, it had gotten so complicated. He explained that he wasn't quite finished yet, and would need to make some adjustments. He'd been working on an ice pick foot to include in the rotation along with his walking foot and riding foot, but he hadn't quite finished it yet. Aran thought it was a whole lot of gibberish, but they enjoyed listening to him nonetheless, and it was always nice seeing him so excited about something. Hiccup switched to his riding foot, showing it to them and saying he'd made adjustments to Toothless's saddle because of it. What got them out of the house was Aran requesting a ride with him and Toothless. Méaróg had left to go find Corcra and Mathilda, and had been gone for the entire day thus far, so they had a bit of an excuse to ride with Hiccup and his dragon as opposed to their own sibling.

Aran didn't pay too much attention to the changes Hiccup had made to Toothless's saddle, much too busy giving him overly affectionate scratches and pampering him. Eventually, Hiccup had to stop them before they put Toothless in such a state of bliss that he was unwilling to fly. They begrudgingly stopped, giving him one last under the chin for good measure before stepping back and letting Hiccup mount his dragon. He turned to them, offering a hand to help them up, and it registered just how much Hiccup and Toothless had grown since they first met each other. It made them smile, and they accepted his help, wrapping their arms around him and resting their cheek on his back before closing their eyes.

They felt more than saw that they were flying, and Hiccup began explaining that he was working on a flight suit that would allow him to glide for a short period of time if he ever got separated from Toothless in the air. Aran nodded, only really half listening because they didn't understand most of what he was talking about. Something about the calibration of something being extremely sensitive? He wasn't wearing what he'd finished of the flight suit, instead just in casual clothes. Aran smiled, pressing a kiss on his neck. Hiccup turned to glance back at them, and they only smiled more upon seeing his eyes.

" _Green is really your colour._ " They commented. " _Don't know why you thought it was a good idea to wear red back on the Edge._ " Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Can't a guy try something new?" Aran laughed.

"Come on, look where you're going, we might crash or something." They said, though their actions contradicted their words as they kissed him. It was a bit of an awkward position, but they made it work.

"Oh, and you're really making a convincing argument." Hiccup sounded amused, but he did turn to see where him and Toothless were flying. He didn't feel like he had been in any danger, though. Toothless would have told him if anything was wrong.

After their leisurely morning flight, they returned to Aran's house for breakfast, not wanting to go to Meade Hall. It was probably still a mess from the previous night's (day's?) party. Someone would clean it eventually, right? Aran had a sudden thought that they voiced immediately, wondering if Viggo's death meant they had no need for the Edge anymore. Hiccup shrugged, saying he would have liked to stay at the Edge, as it was a place to be himself and not have to worry about how anybody saw him, but his father was becoming more impatient with him for avoiding his duties as the future chief. Not wanting to talk about something so heavy, Aran asked about the dragon races Hiccup had mentioned. It was amazing that they had so much to be caught up on when it felt like Hiccup was telling them so much in his letters.

Somehow, they managed to avoid everyone until about midday, when they were getting hungry again. They went to the great hall, which had been cleaned enough to inhabit, but was still noticeably wrecked. Snotlout and the twins clearly had hangovers, while Astrid and Fishlegs were having idle conversation. It was also interesting to note that Iris was sitting with them. After getting their plates and sitting down, Aran waved to their friends. The two who weren't terribly hungover gave them looks of pleasant surprise.

"Aran!" Astrid looked like she wanted to punch them. Affectionately, of course!

"When did you get back?"

"Oh, just last night. Forgot to get him a birthday present, though." Hiccup coughed into his fist, a blush creeping its way onto his cheeks. "Well, unless you count **me** as his present." They wanted to kiss him, but they refrained, instead giving him a light nudge with their elbow as they (not so) subtly winked. Astrid raised her eyebrows.

"Really, now?" Aran opened their mouth to elaborate, but Hiccup cut them off.

"Oh hey, there's my dad." He said a bit louder than necessary, hoping his cheeks weren't red. Stoick was indeed walking over. "Hey, dad!" Hiccup tried not to sound awkward. He failed, but that was to be expected at this point. Stoick's eyes focused on Aran.

"Didn't realize you were back, Aran." They shrugged.

"Got back last night. Hiccup's been filling me in on everything I missed. I see Iris has made herself comfortable." Iris shrugged, sending Hiccup a look Aran didn't understand. Stoick simply nodded and turned his attention to his son.

"I hope you had a good time, yesterday. It's not every day you turn twenty!" Hiccup laughed awkwardly.

"He's only **five** though!" Snotlout grumbled.

"Wow, I can't believe your five year old cousin is taller than you." Ruffnut commented. She seemed less affected by the hangover of the three of them, and Aran had to wonder if her and Tuffnut were actually faking it.

"I'm sure you have tons of things to take care of, so you can leave to do those chiefly duties, dad. No need to check on me, I'm fine." Stoick shifted awkwardly.

"Well, yes, have a good day." He nodded curtly and left, immediately approached by a dramatic Mildew complaining about how dragons ruined his cabbages again or something along those lines.

"... Think it'll ever **stop** being awkward with him?" Aran wondered aloud.

"If it does, it'll be the first sign of Ragnarök coming." Hiccup answered, and Aran snickered.

" _So, what did you two do, last night?_ " Iris asked, suggestive tone in her voice. Aran proceeded to tell her everything in such rapidfire Irish that nobody could understand them save for Hiccup, whose face was now a rather deep shade of red.

"What?" Snotlout asked dumbly, and Aran shook their head with such innocence it was hard to believe they had just been explicitly talking about their sex life.

"So, Iris, I never got the chance to get to know you very well." Aran leaned forward, resting their elbows on the table. "Have you managed to train a dragon, yet? That seems like something that would be on the top of your to-do list." She sent a look towards Hiccup.

"Well, I would have, but it seems a certain someone has been too busy playing with his foot to teach me." Hiccup was suddenly interested in the fact that Aran had gotten a metal hairpiece to replace the one they had lost back on the Edge. Instead of a triskelion on the coin, it had the stylized depiction of Toothless used to represent strike class dragons. He lifted the accessory, flipping the coin over to see that the other side had a similarly styled depiction of Méaróg. Aran smiled at him.

"Ah, well, I'm sure if I were him I'd want to be able to walk around town in the winter without slipping on every patch of ice because my foot is made of metal." Iris sighed.

"He promised me he would help a **year** ago and I'm still dragon-less."

"You know, 'he' happens to be right here." He commented idly, wishing they weren't in the great hall so he could kiss their cheek.

"Well, you could have fooled me." They poked him. "What kind of dragon were you thinking of riding." Excited blue eyes lit up.

"A monstrous nightmare. I've wanted one ever since I was a little girl and I heard all kinds of stories from Badr and Johann."

"I mean, I'm kind of an expert at nightmares, so I dunno why you're asking Hiccup for help, babe." Snotlout jumped into the conversation. Iris looked unimpressed, yet strangely amused.

"Maybe I want to learn from someone with more than half a brain." Snotlout groaned. "Honestly, I would even date Hiccup, but, well, you know." She glanced at Aran.

"Well, you did kind of date for what, a week?" Iris laughed.

"A week he spent on the Edge while I was here in Berk waiting for my family!"

" _You know, Hiccup, you've had a lot of girlfriends for someone who's never been attracted to women._ " Astrid pointed out.

" _You know, Astrid, I could say the opposite about you._ " She put a hand over her heart in mock shock.

" _One! And it was you!_ " Astrid punched his arm.

"Ow."

They all decided they were finished with lunch, and Iris pestered Hiccup to help her train a dragon. Hiccup then slipped on a patch of ice, Aran being the only reason he stayed upright. They carried him bridal style after he slipped on a different patch of ice, and Iris relented in her pestering, because it would be really difficult to learn from someone who was falling over all the time. Hiccup stated that they could put him down now, but Aran shook their head, insisting that this was the only way to keep him from falling before carrying him to his workshop room in Gobber's smithy. If anyone commented on how odd it was for them to be carrying him, they would simply say he kept slipping on ice like a clumsy _fuck_. It was true, after all, and it wasn't the first time they'd done something like this. After Hiccup lost his foot, Aran insisted on carrying him everywhere for fear that the then scrawny boy would fall over and break a limb.

Despite having been planning to let him work on his foot when they got to the smithy, Aran instead sat their boyfriend on top of his desk before leaning forward and kissing him. It was a bit funny, considering the height difference, but Hiccup wasn't exactly complaining. Gobber's voice interrupted their impromptu makeout session, and they hurriedly stepped away from each other. This brought an amused chuckled out of Gobber, and he said he could come back later if they wanted. Hiccup rapidly shook his head before adjusting his tunic and asking what he needed from him. Gobber handed him a pouch, saying it was full of the materials he had asked for, and Hiccup thanked him eagerly, nearly forgetting about the fact that Gobber had just walked in on them making out.

He got to work immediately, sorting out the small parts and muttering to himself. Aran allowed him to babble as they pulled out a new tin whistle, one that sounded a bit warmer than their old one. They sat on the chair and began playing tunes idly as they watched Hiccup, getting a sense of nostalgia. By the look on his face, Hiccup was feeling it as well. Aran noticed that instead of taking his foot off to work on it, he seemed to be working with a new one completely from scratched. They stopped playing briefly to question why, and he explained that he had some tweaks he wanted to make, and considering the fact that he was making the ice pick he should probably make a new one anyways. It made sense, and Aran let him return to working as they returned to playing. The idle thought of playing a certain song drifted through their head, and they suddenly couldn't let it go. Cautiously, they fingered the first few notes, and Hiccup turned to look at them. His expression was hard to read, but he wasn't stopping them, so they kept playing. Hiccup walked over to them, and Aran's notes stuttered.

"And love me for eternity?" Aran asked, hoping the apology was clear in their words.

They certainly weren't expecting Hiccup to smile at them and pull them to their feet. Or to start singing the next verse, no hint of embarrassment in his voice and a goofy smile on his face. Aran had to laugh, asking if they were actually going to be singing this, and Hiccup's only response was to continue singing after leaving a very brief kiss on their cheek. More than happy to join in when their part came in, the two of them danced and sang in the (admittedly) poorly lit and cramped space that was Hiccup's workplace. Somehow, they managed not to fall or knock anything over, and they were left giggling like innocent children, hugging each other and swaying with broad grins on their faces. Aran reached a hand up, enjoying the feel of his rough stubble against their skin and running their thumb along his scar.

"Where'd you get this?" They'd always meant to ask him, but never got around to it. Hiccup shrugged, looking away.

"Dad never talks about it, but Gobber told me I got it the day my mom died." Aran tightened their hold on him and buried their face in his neck, kissing the soft skin. "Aran, I'm fine." He insisted.

"Ugh, I just get sad for you. I don't know what I'd do if I never knew my mum. My dad would be so sad, and I just can't imagine not having her at home." They mumbled into his neck. Hiccup rubbed their back.

"Well, I'm not really sure what I'd do if I had a mom, anyways. I don't know what she was like. Nobody ever talks about her." That was not the thing to say to make Aran stop pitying him. "Really, I'm fine." He ran a hand through their hair. Aran leaned their head away from his neck to look into his eyes.

"I can tell you she must be incredibly beautiful, to have a son like you." They kissed him before he could be flustered, and the soft moment was broken when Gobber's voice rang out through the smithy.

"I'm closin' up shop, you two!" When he appeared in the entrance to Hiccup's workplace, the two of them had separated, but Gobber didn't miss the embarrassed flush on their faces. "Go make out somewhere else."

"We weren't-"

"Okay."

"Aran!" Aran laughed.

"Okay, no, he's right, we weren't making out."

"Not this time at least." The blond man chuckled. "Ahh, to be young and in love again." Gobber sounded hilariously nostalgic.

He left them, and the two exchanged amused glances before Hiccup cleaned up his workspace, allowing the brief distractions of his lover. When they left, it was already dark. There wasn't really a set plan in mind, but when Aran heard the familiar cry of Méaróg nearby, they decided they should part ways for the night. They exchanged a chaste kiss before they turned to find whatever shenanigans their sibling had gotten into this time as Hiccup went to his own house. Sleep didn't want to come to him, though it seemed Toothless had already gone to bed. Hiccup got up, pulling Aran's old sketchbook out before heading back downstairs to relight the fireplace, not in the mood to look at it by only candlelight. He still lit a candle, to have at least some light on the other side of him. It was with a confusingly non tired yawn that he made himself comfortable on the couch, and he flipped through the book slowly. He must have fallen asleep, because when his father came home, the front door slammed with such force that it startled him awake and he fell off of the couch with a thud. Hiccup groaned.

"You alright there, son?" Stoick helped him up, looking somewhat amused.

"Oh, yeah, just forgot that doors are loud." He grumbled, picking up the sketchbook and dusting the cover off before opening it to make sure none of the pages were ruined. It would be a lie if he said he wouldn't be upset if it got messed up. He heard his dad's breath hitch, and looked at him curiously. "Dad?"

"Where did you get that?" His voice sounded miserable, and Hiccup glanced down at the book to try and understand what he was talking about. It was open to one of the earlier drawings- that of the woman Aran claimed taught them the Dancing and Dreaming song.

"Aran gave it to me before they left last year. It's their old sketchbook." Stoick heaved a heavy sigh, and the array of emotions on his face were so complex Hiccup couldn't make all of them out. There was joy, sorrow, confusion, and hope, to name a few. "Dad? Are you… okay?"

"Yeah? Yeah, I'm fine." He didn't look fine. "Why don't you head up to bed instead of sleeping on the couch. Bad for your back." Hiccup frowned.

"I… I will, thanks…" Hiccup scratched the back of his neck a little uncomfortably, not used to this sort of behavior from his father. "And I, umm… I know I'm no Gobber, but…" He paused, glancing around to avoid looking at his dad. "I-if you want to talk about something, I'm… I'm here."

Stoick swallowed thickly, nodding. Hiccup made his way up the stairs, sending multiple looks back at his father as he went. When he reached the stop of the stairs, he heard his dad let out a shaky breath, and he stopped to look back one last time. Stoick had taken his helmet off, staring unseeingly at the accessory made from his wife's breastplate. Hiccup wondered if it was the left side, where her heart was. He saw Stoick's shoulders shaking, and felt tears well up in his own eyes at the thought of his huge, seemingly invincible father in such a state.

"Oh, Val…"

Stoick's voice cracked, and Hiccup put a hand over his mouth as he darted up into his room, ready to bury himself in his blankets, but instead sinking to the ground after closing the door. His hands shook as he opened the sketchbook, flipping to the page Stoick had seen. It was a woman with a face like an upside down teardrop, her facial features somewhat small. She was imperfect, and her somewhat scraggly yet soft looking brown hair was pulled back into three braids Aran had drawn flowers in. A joyful smile was on her face, showing nearly all of her teeth, and the amusement reached her forest green eyes. Eyes Hiccup couldn't believe he'd never recognized as his own.

"Mom…" Hiccup bit his lip. "You're not going to cry, Hiccup…" He muttered to himself.

But when he thought back to the way his father reacted, he let a tear escape him. And another. Choked sobs that he tried to stop, because he shouldn't care so much about a woman he never even knew. It was what he always told himself to pretend it didn't hurt. He'd always wanted to know her, really. Wanted to know if he'd taken after her the whole time, because he was nothing like his father. Wanted to know if his childhood would have been less miserable if she'd been around. If maybe then, he'd be less useless, because at least he had a mother who loved him like no other, and if she believed in him he would have thought anything possible. Toothless must have woken up at some point, because Hiccup found a large head nudging him in concern.

"Young? Why tears?"

There was nothing he could really bring himself to say, and Toothless silently curled around his soulmate, letting out comforting sounds as Hiccup cried himself to sleep.

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 ** _Word Count: 3,814_**

 **I feel like my chapters have been getting shorter? Anyways, quick reminder that soulmate isn't even used romantically in Europe? I use that term because it really describes Hiccup and Toothless's relationship imo and I would just like to clarify that shipping them is Nasty (but that's just my opinion and I'm not trying to attack the ship like if I see it I'm just gonna scroll by harmlessly and ignore it I'm not an ass I just see them as, well, soulmates)**

 **Anyways, I feel like my chapters have been getting shorter? The part at the end with Valka was supposed to happen earlier in the fic but I kept forgetting and I REALLY needed it before the start of movie 2 and this chapter wasn't long enough yet so it was the perfect opportunity!**

 **I feel like I've been characterizing Stoick too much like movie 1 Stoick and THAT IS A PROBLEM OOPS I'LL TRY TO BE BETTER ABOUT THAT!**

 **Gobber is a lovely human being also**

 **That For the Dancing and the Dreaming scene was very impromptu but I love that song so much and I wanted to show that Hiccup doesn't really have a problem with it anymore and I didn't explain it but it makes him feel some kind of connection with his parents ahhh. I didn't type out the lyrics tho because I already did that in an earlier chapter so you guys get to Imagine them happening**

 **I hope you guys don't mind Ilanah(/Iris) I mean she won't be super important but I mean you know. After I finish this fic, I have a couple things I could do, but I'll get you guys's input first haha. One of the options is an alternate fic focusing on Ilanah and Snotlout tho so just throwin that out there**

 **The details of Hiccup's "birthday present" from Aran that I couldn't describe without feeling embarrassed are like. Aran hadn't been expecting him to come by the house so early, and they were in the midst of touching themself, so that was Awkwardly Intimate. Then I mean they did the diddly, but no sex bits touched each other because Aran does Not want to get pregnant (yet) lmao**

 **Anyways my author's notes are always long so I'm sorry about that but they're definitely worth a read if you're interested on reading the commentary I have on my own fic! I'm also ALWAYS willing to talk to you guys, so don't feel shy to review! I'd be super happy to explain something to you or just talk about stuff!**

 **As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you next time!**


	33. So it Begins

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Over the next few months, things on Berk were lovely. Iris managed to train her own dragon, and to the surprise of many, it was Mathilda that she'd bonded with. Hiccup had promised to help her in exchange for being his fake girlfriend for a week, because his dad had assumed that they were dating. It was no secret to him that she held feelings for him, and she never really tried to hide them due to him being taken, so he really supposed he owed it to her. Mathilda wasn't exactly hard to earn the trust of, however, so it wasn't too hard convincing her to let the foreign girl ride her. Snotlout kept attempting to flirt with his fellow nightmare rider, but Iris wouldn't give him the time of day. It was rather amusing for everyone, even Iris, because she seemed fond of twisting his words to mean something completely different and leaving him flabbergasted. They sort of reminded Aran of Corcra and Stormfly. After what seemed like years of pestering her, it seemed the blue nadder had been hiding her fondness of the other the entire time, and just enjoyed messing with him. Heather had managed to visit Berk a few times, much to Astrid and Fishlegs's delight. Tuffnut stayed happily single while his sister whined about her very available status not attracting the good looking guys. All-in-all, it was very amusing.

On a different note, Hiccup was finished with most of his major personal projects, the problem of Toothless's solo flying being the only remaining issue as the night fury refused to wear a tail he could control on his own (Hiccup hadn't managed to make a single one that Toothless didn't destroy). Most of his time was spent exploring to find islands he'd missed during all his adventures with Viggo and the Dragon Eye (both of which had been destroyed by an active volcano) while avoiding any and all responsibility he had as future chief of the Hairy Hooligans. He'd even made a habit of skipping out on dragon races to avoid having to be around his dad. Those dragon races wound up being a pretty close call, surprisingly enough. Fishlegs and Astrid had a sort of unspoken alliance, while Snotlout had taken to giving Iris most of his sheep. He was the only one who never won. The twins did pretty well, despite their bickering, if only because of the fact that they were two people. One could never properly guess who would actually win a race, and it made for an exciting sport that many people were eager to watch.

These many people did not include Aran, because Aran wasn't the biggest fan of that sort of competition, and it was no secret that Méaróg was a pretty lazy flier despite being the youngest of all their dragons. This resulted in them being uninterested in both participating and spectating, so they usually followed Hiccup on his journeys to find new islands. It was a wonderful time, watching him and Toothless perform near-impossible feats in the air. If they were being honest, they would prefer talent shows to dragon races, but they supposed it was an unpopular opinion so they kept it to themself. Aran and Méaróg would watch Hiccup and Toothless at a distance to give them room to perform their tricks, but sometimes they would worry the two boys would make some sort of mistake and get seriously injured. Méaróg would probably pick up the speed enough to prevent that though… right?

Aran had been looking out his window one morning as he finished his tea when he noticed a familiar dark blur against the thick white clouds. He raised a thick brow before tying his hair up and going upstairs, to where Méaróg was still sleeping. Méaróg was now eighteen and Aran got sick of his laziness sometimes, but there was nothing he could really do considering how one-sided all their conversations were (" _Méaróg, wake your lazy ass up._ " "I'm am sleep." " _I don't know what that means but you don't look like you're waking up so clearly I have failed._ "). Luckily, the pink dragon was feeling cooperative this morning, and the two were shooting off after Hiccup soon after Aran put his shoes on. It took a bit of flying to find the boy (man?) and his night fury, and Aran let Méaróg lead the way, for the most part. They flew past a school of thunderdrums and a flock of timberjacks before they caught sight of their targets. It was a bit startling that the moment Aran saw Hiccup, he slid off of his dragon with purpose. Aran would have probably freaked out if he hadn't seen him do it countless times before.

Hiccup let out a long yell as he plummeted, but Aran knew it wasn't one of alarm. Toothless dove after him as he let out a loud 'yeah' and whooped, eyes crinkling as Toothless revealed a gummy smile, tongue flapping in the wind. They twirled around each other, falling through the white, fluffy clouds before spotting a clear stretch of sky and letting their wings- both artificial and genuine- catch the wind. Hiccup caught sight of his boyfriend out of the corner of his eye, and didn't feel embarrassed at all at the sounds of pure and utter joy that escaped him as he glided in front of Toothless, who let out short blasts of plasma to keep him going higher thanks to the heated air. Everything was fine until the clouds grew dense, and he had next to no warning as a sea stack came into view. He called for Toothless, and they very narrowly avoided death by sea stack, though they wound up crashing very roughly on a small island. Aran and Méaróg landed soon after he switched from using his riding foot to his walking foot.

"That really came out of nowhere." He commented after Aran helped him up. They watched as the sea stack that nearly killed him crumbled into the sea thanks to Toothless's well-timed plasma blast. Toothless let out noises of discontent.

"Jeeze, no kidding…" Aran grumbled, looking shaken. Hiccup gave his hand a quick squeeze before adjusting the loops and straps on his flightsuit. Aran thought the flightsuit was dumb and extremely difficult to take off for no discernable reason.

"We- we gotta work on your solo gliding there, bud." Aran looked out at the impressive view of beautiful- almost golden trees spread out on different islands in front of them. "That- uh, locked up tail makes for some pretty sloppy rescue maneuvers, hey?" Hiccup said as he retracted his extra fins.

Aran rolled his eyes as Hiccup finally took off his helmet, and they took the opportunity to give him a quick peck on the cheek as he noticed the scenery that he'd neglected to pay attention to before. His green eyes scanned the scenery in wonder as the two of them walked to the edge of the cliff, Aran putting a cautious arm around his waist. He was always worried he would get hurt in some way, despite the fact that he'd proved he wasn't as clumsy as he used to be. That wasn't to say he wasn't still a bit clumsy, but he probably wouldn't be falling off a cliff anytime soon.

"Looks like we found another one, bud." Toothless gave him a look and batted a small rock expertly at the back of his head. Aran snorted, holding back a laugh. "Oh, what, do you want an apology?"

"No." Toothless grumbled and turned to face away from his rider. Hiccup approached, leaning over to look at him.

"Is that why you're pouting, big baby boo?" Hiccup could hear Aran giggling in the background, and it put a smile on his face.

"You're the young one." Toothless rolled his eyes as Hiccup threw his helmet to the side.

"Well, try this on!"

Aran laughed as his boyfriend failed miserably in the act of fighting his dragon. He let the two of them have their fun as he walked to the ledge and sat down, dangling his legs over the cliff. Every so often, he would glance back at Hiccup's play-fight with Toothless, laughing at his 'desperate' calls for help, but for the most part he focused on sketching the landscape of thick white cloud cover and golden trees. It was a beautiful sight, but he had to look up in amusement as Toothless playfully dangled Hiccup over the edge. Despite Hiccup's look of fear, Aran knew he wasn't in any real danger, so he simply smiled at him before returning to his art. He glanced back at Hiccup's disgusted groan and saw Toothless licking him all over before rolling his eyes and turning back away. At that point, it seemed Toothless was satisfied with his fun, so Hiccup pulled his map out and pasted a new sheet onto the already drawn expanse of it with the use of Toothless's spit. Aran spent a moment to admire how ridiculously complex his boyfriend's flightsuit was before admiring how ridiculously attractive his boyfriend was.

"So, what should we name it?"

"Don't ask me." Aran shrugged. He didn't think he was very good at names. He named his brother **pebble,** for god's sake!

"This island has a very extensive history." Toothless reached his head under his front leg to scratch at it. "It was where the ancient dragons gave life to some of the oldest beings, and is called-"

"Itchy Armpit it is." Hiccup stated as he wrote the name, Aran laughing slightly before getting distracted by a mistake they'd made in their sketch. Toothless huffed.

"Why do I even try."

"What do you reckon, bud? Think we might find a few… timberjacks in those woods? The odd whispering death or two in the rocks." Toothless sniffed at the map, inspecting it despite not knowing how to read it. Hiccup made a small, hard to describe sound in his throat before continuing his drawing of the island he'd dubbed Itchy Armpit. "Who knows? Maybe we'll… finally track down another… night fury." He sighed, sitting up and looking out over the trees with a distant look on his face. "Wouldn't that be something?" There was a moment of quiet, save for the usual sounds of nature. "So, what do you say? Just keep going?"

"If that is what the young wants." Toothless gurgled.

"Toothless!" Came a familiar screech as a silhouette approached the island from the clouds. Aran didn't noticed, having become fully invested in his drawing.

"Afternoon, milady." Hiccup joked, smile on his face as he finished the last touches of his own drawing. Astrid dismounted as Toothless left his side. "Where have you been?" She giggled and gave Toothless a quick scratch before walking over to her friend, letting their dragons play with each other.

"Oh, winning races, what else? The real question is… where have **you** been?" Astrid nudged him before sitting next to him, leaning closer but not touching him.

"Avoiding my dad." Hiccup supplied, and Aran was paying enough attention to hear him and listen in. He was planning on asking him later, after he finished the sketch, but Astrid had come along and it was clearly going to be taken care of right then.

"Oh, no. What happened now?" The energy dropped from her voice as she prepared for the story.

"Oh, you're gonna- you're gonna love this." He shifted to be in a more comfortable sitting position, vaguely aware that Aran had stilled his pencil to listen in, though he wasn't participating in the conversation. "I wake up. The sun is shining. Terrible terrors are singing on the rooftop." Aran's shoulders shrugged in a way that indicated slight and contained laughter. "I saunter down to breakfast, thinking all is right with the world, and I get…" Hiccup got to his feet, and Aran prepared for a Stoick impersonation. "Son. We need to talk." Aran had to admit, his impression had gotten better over the years. He remembers the first time he heard it, his friend trying to pull of such a deep voice. It had cracked. There was laughter.

"Not now, Dad." Astrid interrupted as he held a finger up, words on the tip of his tongue. She made her voice higher and more nasally as an attempt to imitate Hiccup, moving her arms more than necessary. Aran choked. "I got a whole day of goofing off to get started." The three of them laughed a bit.

"Okay, first of all, I- I don't sound like that, who- what is this character?" He look to Aran, and Aran shrugged.

"I dunno, Hic, she looked a lot like my boyfriend for a second there. Almost went over and kissed her." Hiccup rolled his eyes, glaring at him playfully as he feigned a look of innocence.

"And- and second, what is that thing you're doing with my shoulders?" Astrid did it again, trying and failing to contain her giggles. "Yeah, uh- that's- that's a **truly** flattering… impersonation. Anyways, he goes…" The laughter died down as he continued his story (and imitation of his dad). "You're the pride of Berk, son. And I couldn't be prouder." He knocked his right hand over where his heart was, swinging his arms widely as he marched aimlessly.

"Aw, thanks, dad, I'm pretty impressed with myself too." Astrid supplied as she continued to use the ridiculous voice and exaggerated hand motions. Hiccup laughed.

"When have I ever… **done** that with my hands?" He said as he did that with his hands.

"Babe, you literally do that every time you talk." Aran stated, amused. Hiccup groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, okay, come on guys, this is serious stuff, stop messing with me." He sounded amused despite his words. Clearing his throat, he continued his father's dialogue, not bothering to correct Astrid. "You're all grown up, and since no chief could ask for a better successor, I've decided-"

"To make you chief!" Astrid exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement. Aran winced as Astrid got to her feet, grin on her face. "Oh my gods! Hiccup, that's amazing!" She punched him, and he grunted as his flightsuit's extra fins popped out. Aran stood up and walked over.

"You're- you're gonna wear out the spring coil, the calibration is very sensitive."

Hiccup didn't really seem to be in good humor anymore despite Astrid's continued laughter. Toothless and Stormfly ran by with much more energy than any of the three humans had been displaying. Astrid wound up on the ground as Hiccup was knocked into Aran. Aran had sort of been expecting it (after years of knowing Méaróg, he'd learned to keep an eye on any nearby dragons who seemed a bit two playful) and succeeded in not being knocked to the ground. Hiccup blushed slightly in embarrassment as Aran smiled at him, giving him a tight hug. Astrid closed her mouth before saying anything, noticing the sympathetic look Aran was giving him. She would have been the happiest person in the world if she was given the honor of being chief, but she supposed if she bothered to think past her own excitement, she knew that wasn't something Hiccup really wanted. A lot of silent communication occurred in that moment, and Astrid was aware that anything she had to say wouldn't be helpful. Hiccup leaned on Aran, hugging him and idly playing with the ends of his hair.

"I know… that I'm not my father. And I… never **met** my mother, so…" Aran squeezed him gently, conveying his support. "What does that make me?"

" _You're a lot of things, Hiccup, and I think I would need to write an entire book series to list every single one of them._ " The redhead murmured, brushing some of the fringe out of Hiccup's face. Green eyes met brown, and they shared a soft moment.

"I hate to interrupt this, but… do you two see that huge cloud of smoke over there?" Hiccup looked up, and Aran turned his head. There was indeed a large cloud of black smoke in the distance.

"That definitely wasn't there when I started drawing."

Within minutes, the three riders were mounting their dragons and taking off from Itchy Armpit. They soared over beautiful golden forests, Hiccup taking the lead while Aran trailed somewhat behind Astrid. The golden trees gave way to the charred remains of the forest, and the clouds grew darker. Everything seemed devoid of colour, and the air around them was dry and sooty. When they made their way past the burned woods, they were greeted by the incredible sight of a violent ice sculpture, wood imbedded in it. It made no particular shape, but something about it seemed immensely powerful. Méaróg shuddered. They hovered in the air, exchanging equal looks of confusion before Hiccup instructed them to stay close.

"What happened here?" The damage was intense, and there were large, muddy claw marks. It clearly used to be a base of some sort, and Aran felt uneasy about the whole situation. He fell slightly behind the other two. "Alright, e- easy bud." Hiccup patted Toothless's head in a reassuring manner. Astrid gasped.

"Hiccup!" She whisper-yelled, pointing down.

"Fire!" A net was launched, which Hiccup and Toothless easily dodged.

"Astrid!" The blonde girl couldn't react in time, but a well-timed blast of heated sand from Méaróg mangled the net before it could capture Stormfly.

"Dragon hunters? I thought we took care of Viggo, though?" Astrid sounded confused, and they circled the hostile forces in wide arcs, not wanting to get close, but not wanting to leave without answers either.

"Well, this must be someone else. I don't think these are the same hunters." Hiccup stated as Aran squinted, trying to get a better look.

"That guy looks like the leader, with the blue- _shit!_ " He'd gotten just a bit too close in his observation, and barely managed to get off of Méaróg's back before a net captured him. "Méaróg!" He shouted, and Hiccup caught him before he could fall to his doom, but the desert wraith was no longer airborne.

"Aran!" The dragon sounded panicked, and Aran felt terribly guilty for his own survival instinct.

"Stop!" Hiccup yelled as him and Astrid came in for a landing. He got Inferno out and lit the sword, waving it at the group to keep them back. Toothless was growling, Stormfly had her tail spiked and ready to shoot, and Aran had his hand on his own sword. Astrid, having joined them right after winning a dragon race, didn't have a weapon on her, but she still cut an intimidating figure.

"Back again?" The obvious leader asked, but his eyes widened at the sight of Toothless, a grin making its way onto his face. "Soil my britches… That **is** a night fury. Thought they were all done for good." He patted one of his accomplices, who grinned as well, nodding. "Looks like our luck's had a turn for the better, lads! Don't think Drago has one of those- in his dragon army."

"Dragon army?" Astrid questioned.

"Look, we don't want any trouble." Hiccup stated, trying to hold up a hand in a sign of peace despite the flaming sword he held in his other hand. The man with the blue tattoo on his chin laughed

"You should have thought of that before you stole all of our dragons," He pressed his foot down harder on Méaróg's head, making Aran try to dart forward, but Astrid held him back. "And blasted our fort to bits!"

"What are you **talking** about?" Astrid sounded incredulous.

"You think **we** did this?"

" _Well, it's_ _ **pretty**_ _obvious that's what they think, so can we please stop trying to_ _ **talk**_ _to them and maybe work on actually getting my baby brother out of that_ _ **net?**_ " Aran hissed at Hiccup. Hiccup put a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him down, and Aran glared at him.

"Dragon trapping- is hard enough work as it is, without do-gooder dragon riders… **sneaking** in to rescue them." Hiccup was about to speak, but something occurred to him.

"There are **other** dragon riders?" He finally put Inferno out.

"You mean, other than your thieving friend from last night? You tell me." The trapper pointed a finger at Hiccup. "You may have an ice-spitting dragon on your side…" Toothless growled as the man dressed in heavy furs stepped off of Méaróg. "But we still have a quota to fill. How do you suppose we explain this mess to Drago Bludvist?"

"Drago… **what** -fist? Does anything you say make sense?" Aran took the moment to punch his boyfriend in the arm. Hiccup looked at him with raised eyebrows, and Aran just nodded his head toward his captured dragon, as his priority was more on the freedom of his brother and less on whoever the fuck Drago Bludvist was.

"He's expecting a new shipment of dragons for his army by tomorrow." A different trapper spoke as if he hadn't heard or seen anything that had just transpired.

"And Drago don't take well to excuses." Another one continued.

"This," The original speaker- the black haired man- pulled the neck of his fur tunic down, revealing a rather clean burn wound that the riders would have been unimpressed by if it hadn't clearly been a symbol. "Is what he gave me last time I showed up empty-handed." They exchanged surprised looks. Just what kind of person was this Drago character? "He promised to be far **less** understanding in the future." The man readjusted his clothes to hide the wound.

"Alright, look, we don't know anything about a dragon thief, or an ice-spitting dragon, or your lunatic boss and his dragon army, okay?" Hiccup started.

"Give me back my brother, and we'll leave you alone." Aran interrupted.

"Strange, hostile person whom we've never met…" Hiccup grumbled.

"Oh, where are my manners?" The strange, hostile person had a strangely amused grin on his face as he bowed. Jokingly. The nerve. "I'm Eret. Son, of Eret." Aran's eyes flicked to Eret's hand going behind his back, likely unsheathing some sort of weapon. Ah, yes, there was a dagger. "Finest dragon trapper alive." He was extremely cocky, and Aran wanted to rip his throat out. Brown eyes flicked up to the men readying their bows. "After all…" Eret pointed his dagger towards them. "It's not just anyone who can capture a night fury."

"I could tear you apart in my sleep!" Toothless screeched at Eret.

"And this, is Toothless. **He** says we're going. Now." Eret laughed at Hiccup's words.

"They all say that. Rush 'em, lads!"

The dragon trappers did just that, and chaos broke out. Toothless let out a quick plasma blast at the ice above, causing a sizable chunk to come crashing down. Eret narrowly avoided being crushed to death, and the ice shattered in every direction. Hiccup lit Inferno once more, cutting Méaróg free as Astrid hopped on Stormfly. Aran pulled the remains of the net off of his brother, muttering out apologies in Irish. Soon, the riders were in the air, flying away from the destroyed dragon trapper fort. Eret, son of Eret called out to them as they flew out of range.

"You will **never** hold onto those dragons, you hear me!?" He sounded furious as he pointed his knife in their direction. "Drago is coming for them all!"

The three of them turned their backs to Eret, flying back through the mist that somewhat hid the ice covered fort. Back through the burnt forest that gave way to beautiful golden leaves. Back through the sea stacks and the clouds, and over the ocean, all the way back to Berk with not a word spoken between them. As their home came into view, Aran informed them that he was going to head straight to his house. He took a moment to hop from Méaróg to Toothless and give Hiccup a brief kiss on the cheek before returning to his own saddle and separating from him and Astrid. The two of them could tell Stoick what happened. He just wanted a moment of calm before the inevitable storm. Something big was about to happen. Of that, there was no doubt.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,050**_

 **So it Begins AKA The Second Movie is Finally Fucking Starting Holy Shit**

 **There are some things I still need to work out like, where is Aran the three or so scenes before Hiccup meets his mom? Does he go with him and Astrid when they turn themselves in to Eret? Or does he go with the search party that comes along and rescues them? Is Iris with that search party? Does Aran follow Hiccup and is with him the whole time as he's meeting his mom? Questions, questions... But I'll figure it out, no worries! I have a pretty good idea as to what I wanna do there for the most part, haha.**

 **For once, I actually don't have much to say about this chapter. Other than the fact that, in order of cuteness, the Cutest is HTTYD1 Concept art Hiccup, followed by HTTYD1 Hiccup, RoB+DoB Hiccup, HTTYD2 Concept art Hiccup, HTTYD2 Hiccup, DotDR Hiccup, and lastly, RTTE Hiccup. Seriously, what was with the red shirt? Anyways, clearly I don't like Hiccup the Late Teen? I still like him, but... ehh, whatever.**

 **Seriously though, have you SEEN Hiccup's concept art? He was literally the cutest little thing. I would die for Hiccup's concept art. It's clear they took a lot more influence from the books at first, because he was a lot younger, had bright red hair, and had what looks like the dragon basket from the first book when they were choosing their dragons. I'm glad we got what we got, but the book is special in its own little way. I'm going to keep Book!Hiccup alive through a future character, though you unfortunately won't be seeing the little guy for a LOOONG time :p He's also gonna still be his own character, but the design choices are HEAVILY influenced by Book!Hic**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to see you next time!**

 **(reviews are welcome also I love reviews I am 100% guaranteed to respond to any and all reviews)**


	34. Mommy Valka Arrives

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Aran and Méaróg decided to take a nap on the beach, enjoying the sun. It was summer after all, and only a few weeks until Aran's birthday. They woke from their nap at the increased sound from the village, and the two of them got up, making their way towards the stables, where it seemed most of the commotion was coming from. Stoick spotted them and waved them over to where him, Gobber, the twins, Snotlout, Iris, and Fishlegs were already waiting with their dragons. He huffed, correctly assuming that this had something to do with Hiccup. The chief explained that there was a flight ban in state due to the threat Drago Bludvist posed to them all, but Hiccup and Astrid had taken off just in time to get past the closing gates of the pen. Who knew what trouble they were getting themselves into? Thankfully, with Skullcrusher as a skilled tracker class dragon, the group found a specific direction to go in record time. When they found Hiccup, Snotlout immediately swooped down and had Hookfang snatch him up. The sails of the ship were shredded by their dragons.

"Dragon riders!" Eret called out in alarm as Toothless climbed to the highest point of the ship.

"Put me down!" Hiccup shouted. "Snotlout, wha-w- what are you doing?" Snotlout ignored his cousin.

"See how well I protect and provide?" He asked as he looked at Iris.

"I suppose it'd be more impressive, if you hadn't left Toothless down there to die." She shot back, amusement laced in her voice. "As it stands, you're just an asshole." Snotlout was at a loss for words.

"What is with all the nets!?" Tuff exclaimed.

"Hey, watch it! That was close…" Ruffnut's expression completely changed as she caught sight of Eret. She then very easily got caught in a net. Aran heaved a sigh, but then his attention was caught by Hiccup taking the opportunity to kick away from Hookfang's claws, using his flightsuit to glide to the ship.

"Uh, what are you guys doing here?" He asked as he put his 'wings' away.

"We're **here** to rescue **you!** " Gobber exclaimed rather simply.

"I don't **need** to be rescued!"

"Enough!" Stoick's deep, booming voice rang out as him and Skullcrusher landed. He easily ignored Eret speaking and shoved him away with a hand in his face. Eret was then whacked on the head by Gobber's prosthetic hand and pinned to the deck by a very lazy Grump. "You, saddle up. We're going home."

"No." Hiccup said.

"Of **all** the **irresponsible-** "

"Look- I'm trying to protect our dragons, and stop a war! **How** is that irresponsible?"

"Because war is what he wants, son!" Stoick shouted, and Hiccup looked away. The chief's gaze softened. "Years ago, there was a great gathering of chieftains."

Stoick told the story of chieftains gathering to discuss the prevalent dragon problem at the time. A stranger from a distant land appeared, covered in scars with a cape of dragon skin draped over his body. He had no weapon, and spoke softly- a far cry from any viking around. He claimed to be Drago Bludvist, and that he alone could control the dragons and save their people from tyranny, if they would only bow down to him. They laughed, and he wrapped himself in his cloak, walking out the door, shouting something at them before the roof burst into flames, armored dragons descending upon them and burning the building to the ground. Stoick was the only survivor. A solemn air fell around the group.

"Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with."

"Maybe."

"Hiccup!"

"I'm still going to try. This is what I'm good at, and if I could change **your** mind… I can change his, too." While Aran appreciated that his boyfriend was more confident, he really wish he would stop being so idealistic.

" _Well, Stoick is also kind of your dad who loves you very much and you convinced him during a huge battle where everyone was kind of in danger until you came along riding on dragons. I think there's a difference._ " Hiccup glared at him.

"Come on." He said to Toothless and took to the sky. Aran wasted no time in following him.

"Hiccup! Aran!" Stoick shouted. Astrid ran over to Stormfly, mounting her.

"Let's go." She whispered, hoping to avoid Stoick's attention.

"No!" She failed.

At that point, Hiccup and Aran were unable to hear anything happening down on the boat. Aran wanted to try and talk some sense into Hiccup, convince him that not everyone could be reasoned with, that Drago couldn't be reasoned with, but he knew his arguments would fall on deaf ears. Instead, the two of them flew in an uneasy quiet, drifting above the clouds that gained a tint of orange as the sun attempted to set. It couldn't, though. This was that odd period of summer where the sun never set. Aran thought it was sort of funny that it wasn't this way back in Ireland, but he'd come to expect it up North. Neither him nor Hiccup spoke for quite a while, and it was actually Hiccup who broke the silence with a frustrated yell as he punched the air in an attempt to release his pent-up anger. He flopped onto his back, feet still latched to Toothless's footholds.

"Don't worry, bud." He said quietly, before speaking with more resolve. "I'm not gonna let **anything** happen to you. I promise." Hiccup patted Toothless's back.

"Young one…" Toothless's growl almost seemed like a warning, and when Aran followed his gaze, he noticed a person rising from the clouds.

"Aw, come on, Dad!" He began to sit up.

" _That's not your dad._ " Aran stated, and Hiccup started, eyes wide as he stared at the stranger.

The mysterious figure seemed to be standing on the clouds unsupported, though they must have been on a dragon of some kind. They disappeared back down through the clouds, and Hiccup exchanged nervous looks with Aran, quietly instructing both him and Toothless not to make any sudden moves. It seemed it had been useless to instruct that, however, because the stranger made the very sudden move of shooting up through the cloud cover on their own dragon and halting Toothless in his tracks. They were standing on the back of their dragon with nothing supporting their balance as they circled Hiccup and Toothless. Méaróg instinctively backed away, but it seemed they were only concerned with the rider of the night fury as they pointed their staff at him. Aran had a feeling the figure was aware of his presence, however, so he tried not to make any sudden movements.

Both Hiccup and the stranger's dragon beat their large wings to stay at the same altitude, and it was incredible how the clouds billowed around them. From Aran's distance, it was easy to see that both the stranger and their dragon were larger, and a tense moment transpired as they stared at each other. Suddenly, Aran saw another dragon swoop down and snatch Hiccup from Toothless's saddle. Unfortunately by the time he'd spotted the dragon, it was too late to warn them, and Toothless's reflexes hadn't been quick enough to prevent it. The night fury was then plummeting to the frigid waters below as Hiccup shouted after him.

" _Méaróg, go!_ " Aran and the desert wraith dove after the downed dragon, but he too was snatched from his saddle by another dragon.

"Aran!" Méaróg cried in alarm, but Aran shook his head, clinging to this dragon's claws.

" _Go after Toothless! I'll be fine!_ " He wasn't sure if that was a lie or not, but Méaróg dove after his friend nonetheless. Aran didn't get the chance to see if he got there in time, as he was already far from the spot he'd fallen.

"Hey!" Hiccup called to the mysterious dragon rider. "You left my dragon back there! He can't fly on his own, he'll drown!" The rider didn't even turn to look at him.

" _I sent Méaróg after him, he should be fine._ " Aran said, just loud enough to hear over the roaring wind. Hiccup only looked slightly reassured.

A large ice structure came into view, much like Eret's destroyed fort, but somehow seeming more natural, and less violent. Was this mysterious dragon rider responsible for the mess of Eret's fort? They could only assume so. Both Aran and Hiccup were flown in and deposited in an area that left them surrounded by dragons. Hiccup made to shout at the stranger, who was nowhere to be seen, but Aran put a hand on his arm, stating that they probably couldn't even hear them at the moment. A dragon approached them, and Hiccup instinctively pushed his shorter boyfriend behind him as he reached for Inferno. He lit the blade, waving it around and capturing the attention of both the dragons and the stranger, who was hidden unseen in the shadows. The fire ran out, and he inserted a can of zippleback gas before spraying it in a circle around himself and Aran. Aran instinctively stood as close to him as possible to avoid harm as he lit the spark that would cause a small explosion. Hiccup then reached a hand towards the dragon closest to him. It would have let him touch its snout, but Hiccup's attention was caught when the stranger made themself known. He didn't follow through on petting the dragon, so Aran did it in his stead.

"Who… are you?" Hiccup asked as the figure stalked closer. He made sure to keep Aran behind him at all times, though Aran didn't particularly appreciate that. He was probably better than Hiccup in a fight, but hey, whatever puts his mind at ease. If he wanted to feel like he was protecting him, he could go right ahead. "The dragon thief? Uh… Drago Bludvist?"

" _Somehow, I doubt Drago would be destroying his own trader's supply of dragons meant for him._ " Aran hissed in his ear.

" _True…_ " Hiccup admitted before looking back at the figure, who had been circling them almost animalistically. "Do you even understand what I'm saying?"

The figure slammed one end of their staff on the ground, making rattling sounds. Soon, two dragons flanking a Toothless carrying Méaróg showed up. Méaróg gently placed Toothless in the center of the circle of dragons that had formed around the humans. The other two dragons flew off somewhere else, and Hiccup called his soulmate's name, immediately running over to him and reassuring him that he was okay. Méaróg landed beside Aran, cooing as he nuzzled against him. Aran hugged his brother, a relieved smile on his face. None of them noticed the curious tilt of the stranger's head at their greeting of their dragons. They shook their staff, causing a different rattle than before after Hiccup looked back at them. Soon, the area was bathed in warm light from the fire of the other dragons mouths.

Toothless was on edge, wrapping his tail protectively around Hiccup as he growled at the stranger who was now approaching them. They dropped their staff and shield, dropping to crawl towards them on all fours. Even when Hiccup and Toothless backed away, they didn't stop their approach, and with an outstretched hand, Toothless was somehow falling onto his back. They ran a hand along him briefly as they continued to come closer, and Hiccup made sounds of nervous discomfort as they reached a hand to his face. Aran, who was still standing behind him, reached out to give his hand a reassuring squeeze. It didn't help too much, because the entire situation was unnerving, but he did squeeze back. The figure's hand made contact with his face, touching his scar, and with the gasp, Hiccup noticed the eyes barely visible through the mask's slits widen. They backed away, moving to be closer to the ground.

"Hiccup?" A voice that sounded so strangely familiar to Aran came out, noticeably cracking.

"Uh…?" He furrowed his brows, not sure why in the name of Odin this person would know his name. Sure, he was the future chief of the Hooligan Tribe, but…? The figure took their helmet off, staring at him with wide, familiar green eyes.

"Could- could it be?" Now that the voice wasn't as muffled, and he could see her face, Aran knew exactly who this was to him. This was the woman he met who taught him the song that had gotten him in so much trouble. Hiccup's breath hitched in his throat, his eyes just as wide as hers. She stood up. "After all these years?" He, too, knew exactly who this was to him. "How is this possible?" She asked, her smile dropping as she averted her gaze. Hiccup's breathing was shaky, and he felt unwelcome tears well up in his eyes. Aran squeezed his hand, not sure what the hell was going on. "No, no you wouldn't remember. You were only a babe…"

"M-mom?" Aran started, looking between the two, and suddenly wondering how he'd never made that connection before.

"Wait, you're his mom?" The woman blinked, turning to look at Aran with a smile.

"My name is Valka. Come." She beckoned them forward, and who were they not to follow? Valka almost seemed to disappear in the cave, and they were scrambling to keep up with her.

"Uh, ho- hold on, wait just a minute." Valka jumped through the tunnels with practiced ease.

"This way!"

"Come back here!"

"Come."

"You can't just show up like that and run off! I mean- you're obviously my mother, but I mean- what the? Do you- do you **grasp** how insane this is? And Aran!" Aran blinked.

"Me?"

"How in Thor's name did you meet my **mom** before **I** did!?"

"Ah, well, I told you about her! I just… didn't know it was her." He laughed somewhat sheepishly. "I literally didn't put two and two together until just now."

"Come, quickly!" Valka climbed up a rock with no difficulties.

"I have questions!" Hiccup struggled to get up the rock due to his prosthetic being made of metal and not giving him any grip. "Where have you-" He grunted. "Been all this time?" Aran helped him while taking the opportunity to slap his ass. "Aran! _My mom is literally_ _ **right there!**_ " Aran laughed.

"Sorry." He wasn't sorry. Hiccup helped him up nonetheless, silently teasing him about being short. Aran stuck his tongue out, and Hiccup continued after his mother as if nothing had happened.

"What have you been doing? They said you were dead! **Everyone** thinks you were eaten by-"

Hiccup had to shield his eyes from the sudden light, but he was soon blown away by the sheer amount of dragons flying about in the enormous cavern. The walls were made of thick ice, but there was greenery everywhere. Somehow, the air wasn't freezing, and the dragons seemed to not have a care in the world. There were some of seemingly every species, all in bright colours and completely innumerable. Hiccup was positive he'd never seen this many colours in his life, and he took a long moment, trying to take everything in. Baby dragons frolicked nearby, and he honestly forgot what he was saying as he admired everything, Aran doing the same by his side. Suddenly, Toothless was growling, and he was aware of his mother and her dragon watching them from above.

"This is where you've been? For **twenty** years?" Valka nodded almost imperceptibly, and Hiccup shook his head in amazement. "You- you've been rescuing them." She nodded again. "Unbelievable."

"You're not upset?"

"What? No. I- I don't know." He fumbled with his words for a moment before getting on track again. "It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank." He admitted. "It's not everyday you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante, dragon lady."

"What are you talking about? I find that out about my mum every day." Aran joked, and Hiccup gave him a look that he was trying to make seem unamused, but the glint in his eye showed that he was really holding back a laugh.

"Oh, well…" Valka chuckled as she slid down her dragon's wing and stood in front of them. "At least I'm not boring. Right?"

"Well, I… suppose there is that… one specific thing." He said, distracted by a very friendly dragon. Aran watched with fondness, wishing his own mother was here.

"Do you- do you like it?" Valka approached, hopeful smile on her face.

"I-I-I don't have… the words." Toothless was startled by a wild dragon sniffing his behind, and they laughed. Aran suddenly wondered where Méaróg disappeared to. Probably found some friends.

"Can- can I?" Hiccup nodded. "Ohh, he's beautiful." Valka marveled at Toothless, petting and inspecting him, rambling just a bit and playing with the dragon. At that point, Aran wandered off a bit as well, mostly in search of his brother. "How did you manage t-" Hiccup scratched the back of his neck as he interrupted.

"I found him in the woods. He was… shot down, and wounded." His voice was quiet, and he didn't bother trying to hide the guilt as he rubbed his hands together behind his back. Valka stood, a serious and sorrowful look on her face. She briefly showed him some of the injuries some of her precious dragons had received before lifting Toothless's prosthetic tailfin.

"And what of this? Did Drago or his trappers do this, too?" Hiccup winced.

"Ohh…" He laughed awkwardly. "Yeah… Well, crazy thing, is… I'm… actually the one who… shot him down." Hiccup looked away from his mother, instead focusing on giving Toothless some love and affection. "Hey, it's- it's okay, though. He got be back!" He scratched Toothless's head eagerly, grin growing on his face despite the uncomfortable subject material. "Right, bud? You couldn't save **all** of me, could you? You just **had** to make it even, so…" Hiccup used Toothless for support as he lifted one leg. "Peg leg!" Toothless nudged him onto his back, and Valka seemed more okay with Hiccup being the cause of Toothless's disability upon seeing their bond.

"So, umm… What did your father think of your night fury friend?" Toothless sniffed her hand.

"Uhh, he- he didn't take it all that well." Valka let out a knowing hum. "But, then… he changed." Her head shot up. "They all did. Pretty soon… everyone back home had dragons of their own."

"If only it were possible."

"No, really!"

"Believe me, I tried as well… But people are not capable of change, Hiccup. Some of us…" Valka's dragon shouted at them briefly. "Were just born different." He flew away, and Valka launched into the story of how she met him- her dragon. The story of how Hiccup got his scar, and how she was taken away. How Stoick was left standing in their burning house with a baby Hiccup in his arm, an axe in the other as he was helpless to watch his wife taken away. "You and your father nearly died, that night. All because I couldn't kill a dragon." Hiccup's wide eyed expression turned to something softer, and he looked away.

"Ahh, it runs in the family."

"It broke my heart, to stay away, but… I believed you would be safer, if I did." Hiccup decided she didn't need to know how many times he'd wondered how much happier he would have been had she been around.

"How did you survive?" He asked instead.

"Oh, Cloudjumper never meant to harm me." They began walking. "He… must have thought I belonged here." As they approached the edge, Hiccup saw a huge white dragon, and he could only assume it was what made the ice. "In the home of the great Bewilderbeast." It was half-submerged in water, and an incredible sight to behold. "The alpha species. One of the very few that still exist. Every nest has its queen, but this is the **king** of all dragons." Hiccup noticed even the normally disrespectful Méaróg showing the Bewilderbeast some respect, Aran standing nearby. "With his icy breath, this graceful giant built our nest." Valka gestured to the ice. "A safe haven for dragons everywhere. We all live under his care, and command." Some baby nadders nearby started messing around with Toothless. "All but the babies, of course," Cloudjumper roared at them, scaring them off. "Who listen to no one!"

She laughed at the sight of the babies now landing on the Bewilderbeast's huge white face. Valka knelt to the ground, bowing as the Bewilderbeast turned and looked directly at him. Toothless averted his eyes from the magnificent creature, but Hiccup couldn't look away. His mother stated that she'd lived with them for twenty years, learning their secrets. The Bewilderbeast blew a gentle breath in Hiccup's direction, frosting his hair and eyebrows in a pure white. Valka laughed, stating the he liked him as Hiccup shook his now messier hair free of frost. Hiccup was in awe when she asked if he was hungry, so his response was a little distracted. She claimed that was good, as it was feeding time, and gestured for him to follow her, but a thought crossed her mind.

"You should go get your boyfriend, too. I'm sure he and his dragon are just as hungry." Hiccup nodded, a little distracted.

"Yeah, probably." He then registered exactly what his mother had just said to him, and his eyes widened in panic, fear gripping him as his cheeks flushed red. "Wait, he- he's not my boyfriend, we're just- uhh, oh jeeze- we're-" Valka started laughing.

"It seems we're even more alike than you thought! I had a girlfriend, when I was your age. Never told anyone but Gobber about it, though! Didn't last too long, either, but that was because my heart was stolen by your father before I could blink. Go on, now." She shooed him towards where Aran and Méaróg were. "I won't mind if you kiss."

"Wow. Okay."

That certainly hadn't been what he'd been expecting. Hiccup made his way down towards Aran, greeting him with an affectionate kiss on the lips. Aran blinked at him in surprise before glancing up to where Valka was watching with an amused smile on her face. He looked back to Hiccup, who explained that she guessed, and he hadn't even been paying enough attention to deny it at first. Aran laughed, and Hiccup wrapped his arms around his waist as he continued to say that his mother proceeded to tell him about her old girlfriend. This only caused Aran to laugh even more, pulling him down for another kiss. They both made their way up to where Valka was, and she said nothing about their relationship as she lead them outside.

"Hey, I-I thought we were going to eat." Hiccup stated, confused.

"Oh, we are!"

She held a hand out as she stood on Cloudjumper, signalling for them to stop moving. They obliged, and soon, the Bewilderbeast shot out of the sea, blowing so many fish into the sky that it seemed like it was raining. All the dragons flew this way and that, seizing fish in their mouths and gobbling them down. Hiccup and Valka proceeded to compare maps before Toothless decided to grab a large icicle in his map and attempt to draw something, ruining Valka's map in the snow. He got his tongue stuck, and they all laughed as Cloudjumper owlishly turned his head behind him to look at the foolish night fury. They then proceeded to hover in a stable updraft, their dragons making no effort to stay airborne. Valka walked along many dragons wings, making her way towards her son and ruffling his hair before letting herself fall down onto Cloudjumper. Aran watched Hiccup and his mother drift away from the other dragons, sharing a bonding moment. He proceeded to show off his flightsuit, and narrowly avoid death.

"Man, almost! We just about had it that time!" Hiccup said excitedly. Toothless glared at him, swiping his tail under his feet and knocking him back down to the ground.

"Incredible…" Valka said, voice full of wonder as she inspected the suit. They shared a soft moment, Hiccup nuzzling his cheek into his mother's hand, reveling in the maternal affection he'd been missing his whole life. "All this time, you took after me." Her smile dropped. "And… where was I? I'm so sorry, Hiccup." Her eyes glistened, not quite crying, but not quite dry. "Can we start over? Will… will you give me another chance?" Hiccup smiled at her, and she released him, continuing to talk. "I-I can teach you all that I"ve learned these past twenty years." She went over to Toothless, pressing a part of him that showed spines on his back they'd never known about. Aran got distracted watching Toothless playing in the snow.

"Yeah, I mean… That… that sounds amazing." Valka surged forward to hug her son, and Hiccup practically buried his face in the fur of her hood as he hugged back. "Ahh, this is so great!" He exclaimed as he broke away. "Now you and I can go talk to Drago together!"

"What?" There was laughter in her voice. "There's no **talking** to Drago."

"But we have to-"

"No." Valka shook her head. "We must protect our own." Hiccup frowned. It seemed his mother and father were more alike than he thought. "Come on, we should be getting back." Hiccup would have argued more, but Toothless looked too excited to fly with his new spines, so he didn't. The three of them mounted their dragons and took to the air.

"You think Méaróg has any secret abilities?" Aran asked Valka, and she turned around to look at the pink dragon.

"Well, I'm sure he does, but I don't know what!" She smiled. "I've never seen one like him. What's he called?" Aran smiled back.

"He's a desert wraith. They don't live around here. I'm from Ireland, remember?" Valka blinked, tilting her head and squinting. She gasped.

"Oh! You're the- I didn't recognize you! And after you spent so long putting flowers in my hair and-" Valka laughed. "Aran… It's been a long time." Aran laughed.

"Yeah, about ten years now, huh?" Hiccup laughed along with his mother and boyfriend. "I promise I'd never do anything to hurt your son. _Unless he asked for it._ " Hiccup blushed at the suggestive tone in their voice.

" **Aran!** "

"You know, I think I'll have to learn Irish now, because you're clearly using it every time you don't want me to hear you." Aran pouted.

"Well, maybe I'll just ask Iris to teach me Arabic, then." Valka mock glared at him as they landed.

"Ohh, I'll be having a word with this Iris character. Nobody's teaching my son-in-law any secret languages without teaching me, too." Hiccup blushed.

"Mom!" Valka laughed.

"What?" His shoulders slumped.

"Nothing…" He put a hand on his head, and Aran laughed, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Hiccup's making the whole situation really complicated. Nobody knows about us except our friends." Aran informed her.

"That's a shame." She remarked as they walked through the halls of the nest. "I'll… I'll make sure to keep it a secret as well. Won't say anything to your father." Valka sighed, her good humor leaving her. "You two run along now, I think I'm getting old. I need a moment to myself." She smiled at them. Aran reached out and gave her a hug.

"For the record, I think you'd be the best mother-in-law." He smiled, and Hiccup hugged her as well. Valka wrapped her arms around both of them.

"Ohh, what did I do for the gods to bless me with such wonderful sons?" She nuzzled them. "Thank you." They all separated, and Valka ducked down a different hallway. Aran looked at Hiccup.

"Wanna go make out?" Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"You're the worst."

That meant yes.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,669**_

 **Fun fact, my usual chapter length is 8-12 pages, right? That's because I wasn't double spaced. My dad (who is an english professor and has published books before) told me that pretty much everything is double spaced, so now this chapter is a whopping 18 pages long because of that. It makes me feel good about myself.**

 **Anyways, sorry for the note this chapter ended on lmao, I couldn't resist :p I feel like Hiccup is constantly saying "You're the worst." to Aran like idk is that true or is that just me**

 **Also, I didn't realize how well Aran and Valka would get along? Hiccup was super awkward with Aran's parents, but Valka's already calling Aran her son lmao**

 **Chapters come out a lot faster when I use the movie for a direct reference btw. That's probably why when so many of you guys started reading, I was updating like literally every day, but for all of the chapters that don't take from the series, it usually takes a few days.**

 **Anyways, I've been having a lot of fun, I love the second movie (tho I don't know it as well as the first one) and I have Big Things planned for Stoick and Aran's relationship -v- I won't spoil it though! They're gonna have a good moment to themselves though (and I also may or may not skip the entire final battle when it goes back to Berk because like fuck, you guys don't need that? just watch the damn movie and take out the explicitly romantic Hiccstrid and that's what happens lmao)**

 **As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you next time!**


	35. Here Comes the Alpha

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

After returning from feeding the dragons, Hiccup and Aran did indeed make out for a bit before going their separate ways, Hiccup wanting a moment to think and Aran wanting to explore. Aran was very startled to run into Gobber an hour later. He turned to look at Hiccup, who shrugged awkwardly, nodding his head towards the front of the room, where his mother and father were, before stating the obvious- Stoick and Gobber had arrived. Aran pouted, grumbling that he had been looking forward to a quaint dinner with just himself, Hiccup, and his mom, but he could admit that it was nice for Stoick and Valka to reunite. After checking that Stoick was still busy with his wife, Aran pulled Hiccup down for a quick kiss, barely pulling away in time for Stoick to turn around. Hiccup glared at his boyfriend, and his father looked rather confused as Gobber and Valka chuckled in amusement. The five of them made their way to Valka's kitchen, Hiccup scolding Aran in Irish as his parents (and Gobber) caught up with each other. When they arrived, Gobber and Aran got settled on the ground as Stoick and Valka began preparing a meal.

"Mom, you'd never even recognize it. Where we used to make weapons, we now build saddles, wing slings, we- we even fix dragon teeth!" Hiccup exclaimed as he got fish out of a basket in a move to assist his parents in the kitchen. "You- you wouldn't believe how much everything's changed."

"Our son's changed Berk for the better." He shook his head in amusement as he took a basket of fish from Hiccup. "I think we did well with this one, Val."

"Thanks, dad." Hiccup smiled. Stoick touched his wife's shoulders, and she was startled, accidentally dropping the skewered fish kebabs on the ground, where Toothless made to gobble them up. Cloudjumper got to them first however, eating all of them. Toothless let out a pitiful whine, and Cloudjumper begrudgingly regurgitated some of the fish, which Toothless happily slurped up. Aran tried not to feel sick.

"I'm, a… little out of… practice." Valka admitted.

"Well, you know… I didn't marry you for your cooking." Hiccup quietly took a different tray of fish kebabs from his mother, and she gave him a grateful look, which he answered with a smile.

"I hope not. Her meatballs could kill more beasts than a battle-axe." Gobber claimed as he took the fish from Hiccup. "I've still got a few knocking around in here." He patted his stomach and laughed as Hiccup walked away.

"And once you move back in, with all your dragons- oh, Drago won't even stand a chance. Everything will be okay!" Stoick laughed quietly, putting a hand on his son's shoulders as Valka walked over to where water was trickling down, intending to collect some of it.

"Slow down, son. It's a lot to take in."

"Oh. Gotcha."

Aran smiled at his boyfriend's childlike enthusiasm getting the best of him. He patted the seat next to him, and Hiccup sat a little too close to pass off as just friends, but Aran certainly wasn't complaining. It was then that Stoick started whistling, and the two younger men exchanged looked of surprise. Nobody in the room was a stranger to this song, after all. Hiccup's eyes followed his dad as he walked past him, towards his wife. Stoick took the gourd from her, setting it aside as he began to speak.

"Remember our song, Val?" His voice continued as neither song or speech, placing itself somewhere in between. "I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning." There was a soft smile on Hiccup's face as he watched his parents, and Aran put an arm around his waist, resting his head on his shoulder. "And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me. No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will-"

"Will stop me on my jour… ney?" Gobber had burst into song, and Hiccup gave him a look of disbelief. "Sorry." Stoick sighed, shaking his head.

"If you will promise me your heart…" He linked his hand with hers, bringing their hands to his chest. "And love…" His voice died in his throat, losing his confidence. He looked at her before sighing, dropping their hands.

"And love me for eternity." Her voice rang out high and clear, and they could see the relief and joy in Stoick's face. Valka took a shaky breath. "My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me." She walked to a clearer part of the room, holding her arm up. "But I've no need of mighty deeds," Stoick put his arm up in much the same manner, and they began a dance. "When I feel your arms around me." Stoick began to laugh as they picked up the pace.

"But I would bring you rings of gold, I'd even sing you poetry."

"Oh, would you?"

"And I would keep you from all harm! If you would stay beside me!"

"I have no use for rings of gold, I care not for your poetry, I only want your hand to hold-"

"I only want you near me!" There was laughter all around, and Gobber got up to start dancing so Aran pulled Hiccup to his feet as well.

"To love and kiss, to sweetly hold!" Gobber let out a yell. "For the dancing and the dreaming! Through all life's sorrows and delights, I'll keep your love inside me!" The tempo picked up as all of them danced. "I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning, and gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me!"

Aran pulled Hiccup down for a kiss as Stoick lifted Valka into the air. Hiccup kissed back briefly, and they separated before Stoick could see them. He couldn't find it in himself to be mad at him, however, because of all the positive energy in the room. Gobber held his note out for much longer than necessary, not stopping until Hiccup whacked him lightly on the stomach. Toothless let out a sound of relief, as he'd been whining at the terrible noise. They watched Stoick propose to Valka once more, and Toothless pushed her into him so she didn't even need to answer. Hiccup joined his parents, scratching Toothless on the head, and Aran smiled at the scene.

"We can be a family! What do you say?" Toothless nuzzled up to Valka, who laughed, looking at her son and husband.

"Yes." What else could she say?

"Great!" Gobber exclaimed, hugging them all with his large, beefy joined the hug just for the heck of it. "I'll do the cooking." They all laughed, shaking their heads.

"Thank Odin you didn't listen to me, son." He laughed. "We never would have found each other." Stoick and Valka walked off together, Gobber going some other direction as well. Aran stayed by Hiccup's side, attention caught by the dragons in the room being distracted.

"Toothless?" All inhabitants of the room stared out the 'window' to see every dragon in the sanctuary in the air, seeming to be flying away. "What's happening?" They all started at the entire nest shaking, explosions sounding distant.

"No…" Valka immediately ran out, the rest of them following after her with no hesitation. They arrived in the bright light of the outside world, standing on a long spike of ice that overlooked a large stretch of land.

"Oh, no…" Hiccup spoke everyone's sentiments as they looked down at a huge army, soldiers in dark clothing standing everywhere in the snow and obscuring the pure white colour. Huge ships sat in the waters, and it was clear the explosions were coming from the ships.

"Val." Valka turned around, going back into the sanctuary. "Val!" Stoick grabbed her arm. "It's alright, it's alright. We're a **team** now. Now what do you want to do?"

"We have to save the dragons." She answered, her voice thick.

"Aye. You got it. Come on, son!"

All of them ran into the sanctuary, briefly splitting up to retrieve their dragons and, in Valka's case, put on her armor. The sounds of fighting sounded so distant it was hard to believe the battle was actually happening right outside what they called a sanctuary. They met up before leaving the nest, and as they went outside again, they were met with the same sight as before, but with more explosions, shouting, and violence. A familiar yell could be heard as huge chunks of ice came down, and Hiccup instinctively had Toothless shoot a plasma blast at a rather large piece, likely saving Astrid's life. Astrid, and… Eret? Hiccup ignored that- this wasn't any time to be getting distracted. Him and his family (because really- that's what they were to him. Gobber was like the weird uncle everyone loves) joined the battle, knocking out enemy soldiers and assisting dragons in need. Hiccup found himself flying near Astrid and Eret, so he lifted his helmet to speak with them briefly.

"Welcome aboard, dragon rider."

"Thanks!" Eret looked down at Stormfly. "I think."

"Where have **you** been?" Astrid questioned.

"Oh, you know. Catching up with Mom."

Hiccup glanced up, and Astrid followed his gaze to see the masked woman holding her staff up as she stood unsupported on the back of a huge stormcutter. The blonde girl gasped as the enormous Bewilderbeast rose from the sanctuary, his huge white head making an impressive picture. He let out a loud, long cry, opening his icy maw wide and shaking the earth. Aran would have loved to draw him. It was such a powerful image, seeing his gargantuan size compared to the ice palace he'd created with his own breath, rising to defend his home and subjects from invaders with the help of the intimidating masked figure that was Hiccup's mother. The Bewilderbeast's great size made Cloudjumper look almost like a tiny bat in comparison.

" **That's** your **mother!?** " Astrid exclaimed.

"Well, now you know where I get my dramatic flair." Hiccup joked as he pushed his helmet down to cover his face, flying in a different direction.

The Bewilderbeast shot his icy breath at Drago's army, decimating foes and demolishing catapults. Hideous Zipplebacks set themselves on fire, rolling through the army like wheels of flame and causing chaos. Hiccup made it his mission to free any and all trapped dragons, in an attempt to keep the battle in their favor, but he had to admit it was a bit disconcerting to have about fifteen humans on his side compared to Drago's thousands. He saw his mom get shot down by a net, but he was nowhere near, and he could only pray to the gods that she would be okay. As he saw Drago turning away from her, he almost breathed a sigh of relief. Almost, that is, until Drago began to swing his arm in huge circles, letting out an animalistic yell. Hiccup didn't know what he was doing, but he knew it couldn't be anything good.

From the depths of the ocean, rose a confirmation of Hiccup's thoughts. Here was yet another Bewilderbeast, this one a pitch black. Freezing water rained from its back, and scars ran along the entire length of its body. Huge tusks jutted out, shackled with chains as dirty and grimy as the tusks themselves. The beast stomped onto the land, despite being a tidal class, easily crushing both weaponry and men beneath its feet with no care for who was supposed to be on its side. This was a creature with all sympathy crushed before it could even form. There was no befriending this unfortunate, tortured soul. The two enormous creatures rammed their tusks into each other as they began to fight. Even Valka could do nothing to stop them, and the fierce battle ended with Drago's Bewilderbeast goring its gentler counterpart with his scarred tusks, blood splattering across the snow and staining the already dirty tools of death.

With Valka's Bewilderbeast dead, Drago's rose to its hind legs, letting out an ear splitting cry. Dragons that had previously been fighting against it ceased combat, turning to face their new master. Dragons being ridden were still in control, but were clearly fighting the effects of the Alpha's cry. Cloudjumper's tail got caught in a blast of ice from the Alpha, and Valka was barely able to control him anymore. She began to slip off, as Stoick jumped on Skullcrusher and flew as fast as he could. He launched himself off of his dragon's back as she fell, and he reached her in time to turn them around and have his back slam against the wall of the nest. Pain shot through his spine, but he ignored it the best he could in thanks to adrenaline, using his axe to slow their descent. Stoick fell to the ground, and Valka pulled him to hide beside the wall, concern in her features. He could only shake his head. He couldn't move his legs, but he had saved his wife's life.

"Stop!" Hiccup cried out, landing in front of Drago and dismounting Toothless, taking his helmet off. Drago laughed.

" **This** is the great dragon master?" Hiccup held a hand out to Toothless to hold him back. "The son of Stoick the Vast?" He looked surprised. "What **shame** he must feel." Hiccup would be lying if he said that didn't hurt, but he refused to show it. He shook his head at Drago.

"All of this loss, and for what? To become unstoppable? To rule the world? Dragons, they- they are kind, amazing creatures that can bring people together." He stated, feeling oddly as though this was a rehearsed speech even though he was completely winging it. Drago stuck his spear in the ground, a twisted grin on his face.

"Or tear them apart." He responded, taking an arm off Hiccup hadn't even realized was fake. Hiccup didn't mean to look disturbed, but he did. "You see… I **know** what it is to live in **fear.** To **see** my village burned. My family, taken. But even as a boy, left with nothing." He circled Hiccup menacingly, and Hiccup was just aware of how tall this man was. Larger than his father, even. "I vowed to rise above the **fear,** of dragons…" He took his spear from its place in the ground. "And liberate the people of this world."

"Then why a dragon army?"

"Well- you need dragons, to conquer other dragons." He said it as if he were explaining it to a child.

"Or maybe **you** need dragons to conquer people." Hiccup shot back. "To control those who follow you… and to get rid of those who won't." Drago chuckled, then looked almost impressed.

"Clever boy."

"The world wants peace. And we **have** the answer… back on Berk." Toothless approached, growling.

"He won't listen to you, young…"

"Just, let me show yo-"

"No!" Drago shouted, his scowl changing to a twisted smile as he spoke. "Let **me** show **you!** " He began to yell, swinging his spear in the air.

"What in…" Stoick was looking over the best he could, his wife hovering over him. They both gasped, saying Drago's proximity to their son.

"Hiccup!" Valka whispered in fear, getting up and sending her husband an apologetic look as she ran towards her son. She bumped into Gobber. "Stay by Stoick! He can't walk!" The woman began to run, panic seizing her.

"No dragon, can resist the Alpha's command." She heard Drago's voice, and willed her legs to go faster. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Aran running as well. "So, he who controls the Alpha… controls them all." He stated, pointing his spear at the night fury.

"Toothless?" The black dragon whined, thrashing about as he attempted to resist the Alpha's control.

"No! Not young! Please!" He cried out.

"T-Toothless, you okay, bud? What's going on?"

"Witness, true strength."

"No…"

"Strength, of will over others." Toothless stopped struggling, slowly sitting up and very, very still. "In the face of it… You. Are. Nothing." Toothless turned to look at Hiccup, eyes slits.

"Uhh, what did he just tell you?" Valka's eyes hadn't been deceiving her when she thought she saw Aran. He was much closer to Hiccup than she was, and she felt her legs burn as she ran as fast as she possibly could. "Toothless, come on. What's the matter with you?" He looked up at the Alpha, and dread filled him. "No, no, no, no, come on, what are you doi- knock it off!" Hiccup backed away from Toothless, hand outstretched. "Stop! Snap out of it!" He didn't. Valka found her vision obstructed by thick black smoke, but she kept running, barely avoiding tripping on several occasions. "Toothless, no! Toothless!" This was it. He was trapped. Backed into a wall of ice. "Don't!" He pleaded.

"Hiccup!" Aran's voice rang out as Toothless readied his plasma blast.

"Aran!" Hiccup's head shot towards him, and he shook his head, looking between the two of them in panic. "Stop!" He heard the blast, and a scream of pain. His vision was clouded by the dust cloud caused by the blast. "Aran!"

" _I-I'm alive…_ " He choked out, groaning in pain. Hiccup scrambled over to him, pushing ice off of his body and not knowing what to do when he smelled what could only be burning flesh and blood. " _I-it just grazed my back, and I think I h-hit my head, I-_ " Aran went into a coughing fit, and Hiccup cradled him in his arms.

" _No, shh, no, it's okay._ " Hiccup said hurriedly in Aran's mother tongue in the hopes that the familiarity would make him feel better. He cupped his cheek in his hand, looking down at him in worry, noticing that the falling ice had done something to break one of his legs. " _You're gonna be okay._ " Hiccup kissed him desperately. " _You_ _ **have**_ _to be okay._ "

" _I-I'm sorry, Hiccup, I couldn't just-_ " Hiccup shushed him, and was vaguely aware of the other riders landed. Valka knelt by his side, smoothing Aran's hair down and turning her focus to the likely horrific burn wound on his lower back.

"Aran…?" Toothless was confused. What happened? Why could he smell that terrible smell? He approached, sniffing at Aran.

"No!" Hiccup pushed him away. "Get away from him!"

" _Hiccup, it's not h-his fault…_ " Aran whispered, voice weak. If Hiccup had been paying attention, he would have noticed Fishlegs and Valka talking about what medicine was readily available from the sanctuary. The Alpha let out his deafening roar again, and even the riders dragons left. " _N-no, brother…_ " Aran looked through bleary eyes as Méaróg flew away.

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out in alarm as he saw Drago riding his friend- his soulmate. He didn't run after him, only out of fear for his boyfriend's life, which was teetering on the brink. "Shit, no, please…" Everything was overwhelming, and the weak hand that raised to rub his cheek did nothing to help.

"Hiccup, we need to try and treat his wounds."

His mother put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Hiccup nodded, gingerly carrying him in his arms as he stood. Valka lead the way into the sanctuary, taking the fastest and least precarious path to where she stored her medicines. Aran was kept awake through hushed conversation with Hiccup. Astrid and Snotlout were sent to help Gobber carry Stoick to Valka's makeshift infirmary, Astrid being given directions to follow. Hiccup was glad it was warmer inside the nest, and he gently sat Aran down, trying not to gag at the smell of burnt flesh. He stripped Aran's shirts off, thankful that the summer weather had resulted in one less layer for to remove, but still nervous about the fabric brushing against the wound. As he looked at the old scar on his chest, Hiccup hoped the one on his back would turn out the same way. Aran hadn't spoken the whole time he'd been stripping his torso, and Hiccup felt panicked.

"Aran?"

" _Hiccup, I can't… I can't feel my back._ " Aran whispered, sounding terrified. " _I can't feel anything._ "

" _I know, I know, just try to focus._ "

"Hiccup." Valka approached. "I need to see." Hiccup nodded, moving to the side. Aran turned to face him, and Valka went behind him.

" _You're there?_ " He reached his hands out, and he was shaking. Hiccup nodded, holding both of his hands. " _It's different… Different than when I…_ " He looked down at his chest. " _That hurt. This doesn't, and I'm… I'm scared._ " Hiccup squeezed his hands. " _My head… It's…_ " Aran shut his eyes tightly, lowering his head. " _I feel faint…_ "

" _You can't sleep yet, I'm sorry._ " Hiccup let his right hand go and tilted his chin up with his finger and glanced up at motion in the room, seeing his father being carried in. " _Not yet, Aran, please._ "

" _Hiccup, am I going to die?_ "

" _No! Gods, I… You can't, I'm…_ " He sucked in a deep breath. Aran needed him to be strong. " _You're not going to die. You just have to stay awake._ "

" _I'm cold. I never liked… sleeping in the cold._ " Aran stated, smiling oddly. " _I can barely see you._ " Hiccup wondered if it would hurt as much if he was passed out instead of staring at him with unfocused brown eyes.

" _Well, you hit your head, so it might be a little hard to focus, but you have to try._ " Aran tried to nod, but winced. Hiccup leaned forward to kiss his forehead without even thinking about it.

" _It's hard._ "

" _For me?_ " Aran's eyes strained, squinting.

" _Alright…_ " He seemed to be a little more focused.

" _Why don't you tell me about one of your stories? The ones about fairies, and selkies, and forest spirits?_ " Aran blinked blearily. " _Or something you did with your mom and dad. Anything._ "

" _Oh… well, one day, I was… I think I was eight, and…_ "

Aran told him the story of how he climbed a tree and tried to fly. His mother had been terrified, seeing him up in a tree, and had nearly had a heart attack when he jumped off. Méaróg had been there to catch him, already big enough at the time. His father had laughed it off, and his mother refused to cook them a good meal for nearly a month afterwards. He told him about the time he tried to draw a fairy as a child and everyone had thought she was a chicken, and how he'd cried and cried but the next day he agreed that it did sort of look like a chicken. He told him so many things, and his mouth went dry from so much talking. After drinking water, he wanted to sleep, but Hiccup didn't let him, now asking easy questions to which he already knew the answers. Aran answered anyways. After what seemed like hours, Valka stood up.

"I can't do anything more." Hiccup nodded.

" _Do you have to leave?_ " Aran asked.

" _We have to take care of Drago._ " Hiccup sighed, biting his lip. " _Will you be okay?_ "

" _I don't know, I'm cold._ " He looked down at the bandages that wrapped around his torso and shivered. Valka returned, gently draping a thick blanket around him. " _Thank you._ " He noticed that in addition to patching up the nasty burn wound on his back, she'd put his leg in a splint as well. " _I think I'll be fine._ "

"There's really nothing more we can do." Valka stated with a frown. "I've stopped the bleeding, and if we're lucky the ointment will protect from an infection. The leg and bruises are the least of our worries, but that hit on the head with a burn that severe…" She shook her head. "We can only pray to Eir that he'll be alright."

"And is dad…?"

"He'll be alright. He can't move his legs, but…" She looked over at her husband. "There's nothing more we can do." Hiccup swallowed thickly, nodding. He stood up, and Aran's grip on his hand tightened. " _I have to do this._ "

" _Please, come back for me._ " He sounded so uncharacteristically frail it broke Hiccup's heart.

" _Hey, I couldn't leave the love of my life to die here. And my dad? What kind of asshole would I be, then?_ " Aran huffed out a small laugh before wincing, putting a hand on his head and simply smiling instead.

" _A pretty rotten one, I guess._ " Hiccup stood and walked away from him.

"Dad, make sure Aran doesn't… die." He swallowed thickly. "We're going back."

"Uh, with what?" Tuffnut asked.

"He took **all** the dragons." Ruffnut pointed out.

"Not all of them."

Was the idea of riding baby dragons into battle against the king of all dragons absolutely ridiculous? Oh, definitely. Could he think of anything better? Not with the time he had. Motivational speeches could wait. All he knew was that he had a village to save and a time limit, and there was no way he would let himself fail.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,183**_

 **Things I am satisfied with include Not Killing Stoick, cute moments, Not Killing Stoick, my description of how fucking powerful the Bewilderbeasts are, Not Killing Stoick, Aran and Hiccup's very long and woozy conversation, and did I mention Not Killing Stoick?**

 **Things I am not satisfied with include the fact that Not Killing Stoick takes out important character development, but it's okay because I can do that later. That's all.**

 **Things I am noticing as I write this: Holy Fucking Shit The Second Movie Has So Much Less Content For Me To Rewrite. Like, seriously, I'm done with the second movie already. Because I followed Hiccup and Aran around, I literally like cut out more than half of the movie out, I wanna say? Hiccup doesn't do much until the final battle, and Aran isn't there for the final battle and I'm not going to describe the final battle, so I'm done using the movie as a ref haha wowwww**

 **Anyways, I don't have much to say. The next chapter is going to be very fun for me but idk about you. Heck, I'm not even sure if THIS chapter was fun for you because I gave no warning for that ending pff**

 **Well, as usual, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time! Yes, I literally wrote three chapters worth of the entire second movie! Was it worth it? holy shit**


	36. Well, That's Happening

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

There was a steady dripping sound coming from somewhere in the room, somehow sounding impossibly loud and incredibly distant. Aran had his eyes closed, trying to keep his breathing regulated. Drip. Drip. Drip. In. Drip. Drip. Drip. Out. The pattern continued. A deep, rumbling sound came from nearby, but he paid it no mind. He tried to focus, but he wasn't sure what to focus on save for the steady dripping. The rumbling sound came back, and he pried his eyes open when he felt a large hand touch his shoulder through the thick blanket he was wrapped in.

"Aran. Stay with me." Aran looked at the large man through bleary eyes and shivered.

" _I'm awake…_ " He said.

"I can't understand you unless you speak Norse." Stoick said, and Aran drew the blanket tighter around himself.

"I'm awake." He repeated. Stoick gestured something at him, but he gave him a blank stare.

"Come closer to the fire. That is… If you can move." Aran slowly crawled over next to Stoick, ignoring the throbbing in his head and the way the world blurred, focusing instead on getting closer to the fire. "Better?" He could feel the warmth tingling throughout his body.

"Yeah…" They were quiet, and Aran felt himself drooping.

"Aran." He sat upright.

"I'm awake." He insisted. Stoick sighed.

"Let's talk." Aran give him a confused look. "About anything. What's on your mind?"

Oh.

He didn't know. What **was** on his mind? Blurry images jumbled together, and he wasn't quite sure what to say. He made sure to tap his fingers on his knee so Stoick knew he was trying, thinking about what might be on his mind. It hopefully didn't take too long for him to come up with his answer, and he wondered how he hadn't realized it immediately.

"I'm scared." He drew the blanket closer around him, voice sounding timid and small yet managing to fill the room completely. "I'm scared we're going to die, and leave Hiccup all alone. With just his mom. And he never got the chance to have a real family."

"Is there anything else you're afraid of?" Aran thought for a moment.

"... I don't want to die. I wanted to- to get married, and have kids, and start our own family…" His voice was small, and Stoick was struck by just how young Aran was. "And we were going to move into my house, and make it bigger for the kids and their dragons… And…" Aran sniffed. "And we said it would be perfect and… And he said we could keep having kids until one of them had his eyes…" He'd leaned closer to Stoick's body heat without realizing it, and Stoick put a large, fatherly arm around the younger man.

"Whose eyes?" He prompted, somewhat confused by the pronoun usage.

"Hiccup's." If Stoick was surprised before, he was even more so now. "He has such beautiful green eyes, just like his mother…" He hugged himself. "I can't think of anything better than waking up to them every morning…" Stoick couldn't argue with that. He loved waking up to Valka's beautiful green eyes in the short time they'd spent together.

"And does Hiccup, er, return these… feelings?" Aran didn't notice Stoick's discomfort in the slightest.

"I really hope so, considering the fact that we've been together for almost two years now." Stoick hummed thoughtfully, and there was a significant lull in the conversation.

"Stay with me."

"I'm awake."

The drip in the cave continued.

"How would the two of you…? Men can't have children together." Aran hadn't implied that he was planning on adopting, after all.

"I can get pregnant, it'll work out." He answered simply.

"Oh." Stoick didn't know what to say about that.

"I used to have breasts…" Aran continued speaking. "Cut them off when I turned fifteen and burned the wound shut because I didn't know how to stop the bleeding." Stoick shifted uncomfortably, but Aran didn't notice. "I was drunk. I almost… died."

"Well, don't think about that." Aran nodded, wincing when his head throbbed.

"Hiccup doesn't mind." He said, referring to the state of his body.

"Tell me more about him." Stoick prompted.

It wasn't as if he particularly wanted to hear this boy (in his eyes- he was nearly thirty years older than him!) gush about his son, but he didn't miss the way his face focused when he was talking about him, and if that was the best way to keep him awake, he would encourage it. Aran's loving ramblings for his boyfriend reminded Stoick of his own feelings for Valka, and despite his initial discomfort, he actually found himself enjoying the conversation. Stoick had never made any sort of effort to form a bond with Aran, despite him being his son's best friend (and now apparently lover) for the past seven or so years. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, and despite the concussion he had, was a wonderful storyteller. It was through these stories Aran was telling that Stoick realized just how much he'd been absent in his son's life before the incident with the Red Death, and even after that he hadn't heard half of the things Aran told him.

"Once he told me he'd never been attracted to anyone but me and I nearly died on the spot because that was too sweet for me to handle." Stoick chuckled.

"So he never felt anything for Astrid? Or Iris?" He was only slightly surprised. If he remembered correctly, he hadn't been particularly broken up about the two of them.

"Oh, Astrid is dating Heather. Neither of them liked each other that way, but they didn't want to be forced to date anyone they didn't like just to have kids, so they pretended they were dating for a while."

"What about Fishlegs?" He'd been under the impression that Fishlegs was dating Heather. "Is he secretly with Snotlout?" Stoick joked, and Aran laughed.

"No, he's with Heather too." Stoick nodded. It made sense. "Hiccup only pretended to date Iris because I gave him a hickey and he didn't know how to explain it away to you."

"You kids and your fake relationships." He chuckled. "Back in my day, we got married as soon as possible, just in case anyone got snatched up by a dragon! Before Val was taken…" He launched into a tale from his youth.

The two of them exchanged hours upon hours of stories, laughing when they described similar circumstances between the couples. Hiccup was very much his mother's son, and it turned out Aran was a lot more like Stoick than either of them realized, so their stories made parallels quite often. Stoick felt sure that at least a day had passed, and the fatigue was evident for both of them, but he could tell Aran's condition was more stable now. The younger man had lost a significant amount of blood from the burn wound, but the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso were doing a splendid job in stopping the blood flow. As for the concussion, Stoick was sure he would recover from that soon. The broken leg wasn't a significant issue either, so all that was really left to worry about was a possible infection from the burn. Aran noticed Stoick appraising his condition and made a joke about both of their backs getting fucked up. It was a bit of a dark thing to joke about, but it brought a laugh out of Stoick. The Irish man yawned.

"Aran…" Stoick said.

"I'm awake, I'm awake…" He mumbled, sounding half asleep. He'd been awake for what seemed like an eternity.

"Well-"

"Stoick!" Valka's voice echoed from somewhere distant. Stoick looked to the entrance and gave a tired smile to his wife when she appeared, still clad in her armor, but without the helmet. "Oh, thank the gods." She breathed out, rushing to his side and hugging him.

"Mom?" Aran asked, sounding more than a little out of it.

"Don't worry, we're going to take you back home." She pulled Aran into a gentle hug. Two sets of uneven footsteps entered the room.

"Aran? Dad?" Stoick nodded at his son before returning his attention to his wife.

"You still can't…?" She placed a hand on his leg. Stoick shook his head. "Let's get you onto Skullcrusher…" Valka muttered, waving Gobber over. Stoick suddenly noticed that in addition to Toothless, Cloudjumper, and Grump, they'd also brought Méaróg and Skullcrusher.

" _I'm cold…_ " Aran shivered when Stoick's body heat was taken away.

" _Hey, it's okay, I'm here._ " When had Hiccup come over? He wasn't sure, but he immediately pulled him down in an attempted kiss.

" _You missed._ " Hiccup sounded amused, glancing towards his father, who was busy being hoisted onto his dragon, before giving Aran a quick peck on the lips. " _Come on, you'll be riding with me._ " Hiccup helped him up, pulling him to his feet. The blanket fell to the ground.

" _Fuck._ " Aran muttered, head spinning as he instantly lost his balance. Hiccup made sure to catch him, and he wrapped his arms around the taller male, leaning heavily on his good leg. " _I'm fine._ " He insisted, not even having to look at Hiccup to feel the concern emanating from him.

" _I'm allowed to worry about you._ " Hiccup wanted to hug back, to hold him and never let go, but he wasn't sure how much would be too much and he didn't want to worsen any wounds.

"Aran." Valka approached. "I'd like to change your bandages before we leave."

"Oh, yeah." There was probably blood on them.

Hiccup didn't even let him attempt to hobble over to the table Valka wanted him to sit on. He hooked an arm under his legs and carried him instead. If Aran was more focused and actually capable of thought, he would have probably been surprised that Hiccup had the strength to carry him. Valka changed his bandages without any problems arising, handed him a glass of water (which he quickly finished), and soon he was cradled in Hiccup's arms once more. Aran let Hiccup carry him without any protest, and Valka suggested they bring the blanket with them so Aran wouldn't freeze on the ride back to Berk. Hiccup agreed that it was probably a good idea, and soon they were leaving Valka's makeshift infirmary. Seeing as Stoick was unable to walk and therefore limited to sitting on Skullcrusher's back, the group had to take a long path out of the sanctuary. Aran pointed at the sky when they made it outside, sounding surprised when he stated that the sun was setting. It had been several days since that had last happened.

Due to Stoick and Aran's injuries, they were deemed unsafe to fly on their own. Considering the fact that Toothless couldn't fly on his own, Aran rode with Hiccup while Méaróg followed close, hovering near his brother in concern. Valka joined Stoick on Skullcrusher, worried that he would fall off due to the paralysis in his lower half. Cloudjumper stayed close to her, not particularly worried that she would slip, but wanting to be nearby just in case. Gobber knew he was only there for the extra muscle needed to hoist Stoick up onto Skullcrusher, and he stayed quiet for the ride back. All of them stayed quiet, in fact. Valka had decided Aran was probably recovered enough to sleep without passing on, so it was very early on in the flight that he dozed off in Hiccup's arms. Stoick, while exhausted, couldn't bring himself to sleep while so high up in the sky. He stayed alert the whole way home.

When they arrived at Hooligan Village, Gobber took off to get some shut eye before the sun rose again. Hiccup and Valka, on the other hand, agreed that it was a good idea to go visit Gothi. The small old lady was wide awake when they arrived, already brewing some sort of mysterious concoction. She whacked Aran on the shoulder with her stick, startling him awake before insisting that he drink the thick, foul smelling liquid. Aran did so without hesitation, oddly stating that it tasted like limes before scrunching up his nose and shuddering. He looked around, seeming disoriented before stating that his head didn't hurt quite as much, and his vision was clearing up. Hiccup hugged him as Gothi began walking in circles around Stoick. She then informed them that there was a very slim chance he would ever walk again, but they shouldn't count on it. Stoick was quiet as he nodded, and Gothi moved back to Aran when she had confirmed that there was nothing she could do to help him. Stoick and Valka made their way back to the Haddock household after Val stated Hiccup should probably spend the night at Aran's house.

Gothi spent some time whipping up something else, and through some difficult interpretation of what seemed like chicken scratch in the the dirt, Hiccup learned that it was a better ointment for Aran's new burn. Hiccup nodded, recalling how long it had taken him to recover from the one on his chest. Aran was given the advice of resting a lot until he was good enough to walk on his own again. He didn't object, though that was likely because he was half asleep. Hiccup picked him up once more, leaving Gothi's hut. Both Toothless and Méaróg were waiting outside, and Hiccup glanced between them. Méaróg looked terribly worried, so he shot an apologetic look to Toothless before mounting the desert wraith. As Méaróg began an easy glide towards Aran's house, Hiccup was startled by how little influence he had on the flight course. It was interesting, and completely different from flying on Toothless and feeling like they were one being. Toothless followed them to Aran's house, and Hiccup carried his boyfriend to bed. He'd fallen asleep at some point during the short flight, and after removing his foot, Hiccup laid down with him. He made sure Aran's back wasn't touching anything in the slightest, and that his broken leg was properly situated before letting his own exhaustion overtake him and drifting off to sleep right along with him.

The next few weeks were spent almost exclusively on trying to clean the town of the Alpha's destructive ice, as well as assisting Aran in his recovery. Stoick was slowly adjusting to his loss of mobility, and now had to ride Skullcrusher any time he wanted to go anywhere on his own. It was inconvenient and crippling. So much so, that it only took him a week to realize that he wasn't suited for his position as chief anymore. And Valka was in no shape to take over, as her behavior had become more animalistic than human over the years and she was still adjusting to the social atmosphere of the village. That left the position of Chief to Hiccup, but nobody had exactly told him yet. He was too busy worrying about Aran, and his services weren't needed yet. Not to mention, now wasn't the time for a sudden shift in leadership. They all needed time to recover from the battle with Drago and the Alpha.

Hiccup had woken up one morning to find Aran still asleep in his arms, leg healed and concussion long gone but the burn still needing a significant amount of recovery. At least he could wear shirts again, though. For a while he couldn't, due to the need for the bandages to be readily changeable at any moment. Hiccup smiled at his boyfriend, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead before slipping out of bed and heading towards his own house. He'd been staying with Aran indefinitely to help him recover and prevent him from doing anything stupid (like trying to swim). When he arrived, Stoick and Valka were eating breakfast, Skullcrusher and Cloudjumper nearby.

"Morning mom, dad." He greeted, hugging his mother with a smile. "How's your morning been?" Hiccup took a piece of bread from the table and began buttering it. He hadn't eaten yet, after all.

"Oh, Cloudjumper forgot how to get in the house again so we had to help him inside, but it's been lovely. You?" Hiccup shrugged, biting into the bread.

"I can't really say much. Nothing happened. Aran's still asleep." He wondered why his father never said anything about the ridiculous portion of time he spent at Aran's house. Stoick chuckled. "What?"

"You practically live there already. When are you planning on moving in?" Hiccup gave him a blank stare before looking at his mother, who seemed amused.

"What- why would I move… move in?" He was sure there was a cautious edge to his voice as he slowly inched towards the stairs where his room was. Stoick shook his head.

"Well, that's true, you aren't married…" Hiccup stared at his father blankly. "Speaking of that, when are you planning on proposing?" His mother seemed to be holding back laughter. "Val and I were already having you by the time we'd been together as long as you two have been!"

"Y-yeah, wow, I honestly think I have **no** idea what- what you're talking about?" Hiccup lied, cheeks flushed red. How had his dad even figured that out? Externally, he probably looked calm, but internally he was panicking. Externally, he was also shoving a piece of bread down his throat though, so maybe he didn't look as calm as he thought he did.

"Aran told me everything at the sanctuary." Stoick's voice went darker.

"Oh, gods, dad, I am **so** sorry, I meant to tell you, but-"

"I'm disappointed, son." Hiccup shrank back, preparing himself for the verbal blow and avoiding his father's harsh stare. "I need to know when to plan the wedding!" What.

"What." Valka starting laughing. "What?"

"Oh, Stoick, you couldn't have set that up better?"

"What? Boy's been holding out on me! By the time I knew **you** for two years we were already married and taking care of this lad!"

"Oh my gods." Hiccup was both confused and mortified.

"So? When are you proposing?" Stoick prompted, and Hiccup gave him an awkward smile.

"Ah, well, you see, I **really** wasn't planning on doing that. Ever." Maybe in his dreams, but it had never seemed like a realistic course of action.

"I want grandchildren before I'm sixty, Hiccup!"

"Aaaand, I'm leaving."

Hiccup rushed to his room, planning on leaving through the window to avoid any further interaction with his father. That certainly hadn't been the conversation he'd been expecting to have, and now that he was in his room, he'd forgotten what it was he'd come home for. Deciding it wasn't really important, Hiccup began gathering random assortments of easy to carry things, such as his few changes of clothes and some books. He put them in a bag before making his way back to Aran's house. Checking the bed showed that his boyfriend was still asleep, and Hiccup smiled before looking through Aran's bookshelf, straightening things up. A yawn sounded from the bed, and Hiccup turned to see Aran stretching lazily. He smiled.

"Morning, Princess." Aran stuck his tongue out.

"Only Astrid calls me that."

"Well, maybe I call you that when you sleep in too late." He took a step back to observe his work.

"What are you doing to my books?" Hiccup shrugged as Aran dragged himself out of bed to lean most of his bodyweight on him.

"Organizing them." Aran hummed slightly as he inspected his work.

"I guess I've been meaning to do that for a while. Thanks, Hic." He kissed the exposed bit of skin that connected his neck and shoulder. "You didn't have to, though." Hiccup turned around, resting his hands on his boyfriend's hips.

"To be fair, I did it for myself." Aran blinked at him. "I kind of impulsively decided to start moving in."

"Oh?" He was now more awake. "What about your dad?"

"He… kind of knows about us." Aran gave him a look of bewilderment. "Hey, don't give me that look, you're the one who told him."

"I did what!?" Before he could panic, Hiccup grabbed his shoulders firmly.

"He brought it up and asked when I was planning on proposing, Aran. I don't think he's angry." Aran seemed surprised, though he supposed that was a reasonable response.

"Wow. Go concussed me?" Hiccup laughed, leaning down to kiss him.

"Go concussed you."

"Okay, wait, but seriously, when are you planning to propose?" Hiccup raised a brow at him.

"Uhh, Aran, will you marry me?"

"What."

"What?"

"No… No getting down on one knee? No speech? No ring? No… **anything?** " He seemed shocked.

"Do people do that…?"

"Oh my god. I'm marrying a savage."

After a moment of complete and utter confusion from Hiccup, Aran explained that in Ireland, a marriage proposal was kind of a much bigger deal and usually involved rings. Hiccup smiled awkwardly, stating that up until very recently, all the weddings on Berk had been arranged by parents in order to form alliances between families and the like, and the wedding rings were involved in the ceremony, not the proposal. They didn't have much in the ways of traditional proposals, and he recalled that his father's generation was actually the first to start choosing their own spouses. This was evident in the fact that when Stoick met Valka when he was around thirty, he was still single and childless. Hiccup remembered his now deceased grandfather on his mother's side, Old Wrinkly, hadn't been the one to choose his wife. If he remembered correctly, he grew to love her, but that could have all been a construct of his eight year old imagination. They continued discussing the major differences between Viking and Christian marriages ("You sacrifice live animals!?" "You don't?") for quite some time, just sitting on Aran's bed.

"Vikings are fucking weird." Aran stated. "Animal sacrifices…" He shuddered. "I mean, we **used** to do that, but that was hundreds of years ago, and I don't remember if that had anything to do with marriages."

"I think it's weirder that you **don't** do it. It kind of makes me anxious, honestly. How else do you know your gods-"

"God."

"Right, sorry, God. How do you know your God is going to bless your marriage?" Aran looked at him weirdly.

"He just will. And if he doesn't, that means you were probably a bad match." Aran shrugged. "God knows best or something." Hiccup groaned.

"Don't even get me started on that unconditional faith thing. If we sacrifice ten yaks and get terrible harvests, we're not about to pray to that god anymore." Aran squinted at him.

"Rude." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"More like **he's** rude. Ten yaks is a lot!" Aran laughed, and Hiccup joined him soon after. "How- how did we even start talking about that?"

"It all started with your shitty marriage proposal." Aran said, almost dreamlike. He giggled afterwards, then all humor left him. "Oh my god, we're getting married."

"... Wow."

The two of them sat there for a while, not having fully registered what they were talking about until that very moment. They then laughed nervously, feeling about ten years younger than they actually were as their cheeks flushed red. Hiccup leaned down to give him a soft kiss, and Aran returned it just as softly. Afterwards, Hiccup cleared his throat, looking away from Aran and stating that he wanted to go work on something in the forge. Aran only nodded, not really wanting to follow him at that moment. It was rather impulsively that he began to write a note to his boyfriend (fiancé?) informing him that he would be taking a quick visit to his hometown, but he thought his parents had a right to know about their apparent engagement as soon as possible! Satisfied that his note was good enough, Aran left the parchment on the bed and went outside to search for Méaróg. They hadn't been flying much together, as Aran knew he was still supposed to be recovering, but he felt dizzy just thinking about the fact that they were **actually getting married,** and what better way to spend his sudden (anxious) burst of energy than visiting his parents? Besides, if Hiccup thought he was getting out of having a traditional Christian wedding, he had another thing coming. Aran needed to start thinking about wedding rings.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,072**_

 **umm shoutout to Nightfurylov3r for being the only reviewer on the past three chapters? Damn, I posted three chapters in one day/night and almost killed Aran off, I was expecting a little more lmao. It's fine though, I'm sure you guys have better things to do than review. I waited a week to post this mainly because I wanted to keep you in suspense but now I'm not completely sure if like? you guys were in suspense at all? because I got no feedback? I dunno**

 **Marriage is a time. I'd like to inform you lovely readers that I am researching viking weddings and figuring out what to write for that chapter, but it's not happening just yet. I'm also not completely sure if I'll write the more Christian wedding bc like, everyone knows what a Christian wedding is like because of pop culture. If Christian weddings were completely different back then tho, I will 100% write the Christian wedding tho!**

 **Also I constantly worry that everyone is OOC so like please tell me if you think so and if it's really something I didn't realize makes no sense I will fix it.**


	37. Parental Talks Happen a Lot

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

Hiccup spent the majority of that day in the forge, his mind just chanting the thought of 'You're getting married!' until he almost wanted to rescind his offer. Not that he would, of course. That would be needlessly cruel and neither of them would be happy with that decision. Still, it would be nice if he could focus on what he was doing. He'd wasted several sheets of parchment trying (and failing) to sketch out designs. For once, the designs were completely unrelated to dragons. Well, unless you thought about it in the way that the invention would allow his father to move around without the aid of his dragon. It was a sort of chair on wheels. A chairwheel? Wheelchair. Though, the more he thought about it, the more he worried his father would be unable to traverse town properly due to the uneven ground and stairs in various locations. It would be better than nothing though, right?

"Hiccup!" It was Gobber. Hiccup accidentally scratched through the drawing.

"I'm in here!" He called out. Oh. When had it gotten dark? He crumpled up his latest failure of a sketch.

"Ah, good. Your father's been wondering where you got off to." Gobber walked into Hiccup's workplace, and Hiccup rubbed his eyes, not completely sure when the last time he'd looked away from the desk had been. "Said you disappeared this morning after he had a friendly conversation with you." Hiccup scoffed.

"He asked when I was going to propose to, move in with, and have kids with Aran. Really not the kind of conversation you expect from your dad first thing in the morning." Gobber looked amused as Hiccup gathered up his things.

"Well?"

"Well what?" He received a rather expectant look, and Hiccup groaned. "Well I kind of proposed to him after that conversation. And started moving some stuff over…" Hiccup mumbled.

"Great! When's the wedding? I need to find the best goat to sacrifice." Gobber said lightly as they began walking to the great hall. His pseudo nephew chanced a laugh.

"Well, obviously it has to be on a Friday."

"Of course. I'd have called you mad, otherwise." Friday was Frigga's day after all, and what kind of person would you be to get married on any other day? Frigga was the goddess of marriage and childbirth, so if you **didn't** get married on a Friday you must have been mad.

"I haven't really planned any further ahead. It was kind of a spur of the moment choice and I've been working on inventions all day."

Hiccup felt it had been too long since he'd had a proper conversation with Gobber, but he supposed that was his own fault. Now that he felt Aran was probably healed enough to be left alone without suddenly dropping dead, it was quite likely that he wouldn't be spending every waking moment with him. Upon entering Meade Hall, Hiccup pointedly avoided all eye contact with his parents and went to sit with his friends. Astrid commented on the fact that he'd actually joined them for dinner for once, and he immediately felt embarrassed for being such a worrywart. His blush served to amuse his friends, and he told them to shut up about it after a few minutes of solid teasing. When asked where his boyfriend (he hadn't exactly broken the news yet) was, he answered that Aran was probably still at home. Hopefully. Not wanting Hiccup to worry again, Fishlegs asked him about any inventions he may be planning, and Hiccup launched into explaining his plans for his father's wheelchair. All in all, Hiccup felt it was a day well spent, and had been planning on returning to his fiance with an apology for being gone all day, but was instead met with a handwritten note.

' _Hey Hic!_

 _Sorry I'm not home, I had a lot of energy after your (bad) proposal and I wanted to let my parents know right away. I'll probably be back within the week, but if I'm not it's probably because I'm busy planning things. Please come drag me back to Berk if I don't return on my own within a month._

 _Love, Aran_ '

"Why are you like this?" He grumbled, mostly to himself. He immediately started writing his own note.

'Dear Aran,

You are ridiculously impulsive and I am not amused by your impulsiveness when it involves you flying across the ocean after you've barely recovered enough to be left alone. Still, I'm trusting you (well, Méaróg) not to die so if you never end up reading this I hope it's because you came home while I was here, or because I went to Ireland myself to drag you back. I'm probably at the forge or Meade Hall if I'm on the island, but I'm sure you could figure that out on your own.

Hiccup'

After writing the note, he put it on the bed beside the one Aran had left and made his way outside. Surprisingly enough, Toothless was waiting for him, head tilted hopefully. Hiccup smiled, feeling a bit guilty for neglecting him as of late. He'd been spending much too much time taking care of Aran. It was actually a little surprising they hadn't gotten sick of each other, considering how much time they spent together. There had been moments Aran snapped in frustration at his fiancé's constant presence, but they were short lived and he would forget his irritation within an hour. Hiccup spent a good moment giving Toothless an affectionate scratching before flying him to the house he still had the majority of his belongings in despite being in the beginning of the process of moving out. He supposed he was in a very weird sort of transitionary period of time. Him and Aran weren't exactly married yet, but they were more than just dating. He wasn't exactly the chief, but he knew he would need to take on the role soon due to his father's disability (which he knew wasn't his fault at all, but his brain kept trying to think of a way to make it such) even if nobody had said anything to him yet. He wasn't exactly living with Aran yet, but he'd begun the process of moving in. He decided everything was sort of muddled and would work itself out soon.

"We'll take a real flight when I wake up in the morning, how's that sound, bud?" He asked as he scratched Toothless beneath the chin.

They'd just landed outside his house, and Hiccup took a moment to feed his soulmate a late night snack before heading inside. Quietly, of course. It was summer, and considering how dark it was outside probably meant it was very late at night, so his parents were definitely asleep at that point. Or at least, that's what he'd been assuming. They were having a hushed conversation in their bedroom, and he closed the front door as quietly as he could. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, he approached the room so as to hear better, only slightly surprised to find the door ajar. He thought he heard something about someone needing to be ready to become the chief, and immediately deduced that they were talking about him. Hiccup made eye contact with his mother, but didn't want to maintain it and looked away as he made his way upstairs as quietly as he could now that he knew what they were talking about. He got to his room and sat on his bed, self doubt creeping into him now that the thought of him becoming chief had forced itself back into his mind.

His father had given him some distance with the topic, due to the recent battle with Drago and the Alpha destroying a major part of Berk and Hiccup wanting to take care of his boyfriend (now fiancé), but he suspected he couldn't avoid the subject for very much longer. It had been about a month since they had begun working to clean Berk up and restore the damaged buildings, and several lives were unfortunately lost to the destructive ice breath of the great bewilderbeast. Thankfully, due to the not quite warm, but definitely above freezing summer weather, most of the ice had begun to weaken and the larger chunks were removed early on. Bodies and resources that were still salvageable had indeed been salvaged from the wreckage. Hiccup remembered the absolute terror he'd felt when an ice blast almost claimed his life. He would have died, had Toothless not been there, and with Toothless being the Alpha now, Hiccup was starting to feel that he should stop avoiding his responsibility to become chief.

"Hiccup?" His head shot up at the sound of his mother's voice. She'd appeared in the door to his room without him even noticing, though he supposed that was fair. He hadn't exactly been paying attention to his surroundings, and she was used to moving with an oddly animalistic grace that left her footsteps light.

"Hey, mom." She sat herself on the bed beside Hiccup, putting an arm around her son and squeezing his shoulder.

"Are you… alright?" Before he could respond, say that he was fine, she continued speaking. "You looked a bit lost, inside."

"I guess I'm just…" Part of him wanted to insist that he was fine still, even though his voice had already betrayed him and he'd started speaking in a way that wouldn't allow that. "I've been avoiding thinking about taking over Dad's job, and hearing you talking about it, well…" He shrugged slightly. "I still don't know who I'm supposed to be. How can- how can someone like **me** be the chief after someone like **him?** " There was a moment of quiet between them, and Valka gently stroked his hair, causing him to turn his face in her direction.

"You came early into this world." Her hand dropped to rest on his shoulder once more. "You were such a wee thing. So frail, so fragile." Hiccup looked away, not sure why she was saying this to him. She tapped his cheek with the back of her fingers, causing him to make eye contact that he couldn't bring himself to maintain, instead focussing on a flyaway hair. "I feared you wouldn't make it." Valka turned her eyes away from him to look off somewhere distant, beyond the physical boundaries of his room. "But your father… He never doubted." Hiccup looked down at his lap, feeling his eyes grow slightly damp. "He always said you'd become the strongest of them all." Valka cupped his cheek in her hand, almost seeming to wipe away tears that weren't falling. "And he was right." She moved her hand to brush through his hair. "You have the heart of a chief," A touch to his heart. "And the soul of a dragon. Only **you** could have brought our worlds together. **That** is who you are, son."

She cupped his cheek once more, and now that she'd stopped speaking, he allowed himself to look her in the eye. Forest green orbs so similar to his own yet so very different at the same time held a gentle, maternal warmth he never knew. It was Valka who initiated the hug, but both of them who yearned for the mother-son bond that had been missing for their entire lives. Valka began to hum quietly before letting her voice grow in volume and sing a lullaby Hiccup had never heard before. It was incredibly relaxing, and when he pulled away from her it was with a smile. As he leaned down to begin removing his prosthetic, he spoke to her.

"I don't need a lullaby to fall asleep, mom."

"Ah, well, I suppose I'm just making up for lost time." She clearly had guilt in her words, but Hiccup couldn't comment on it as she continued talking. "You can bet I'll be singing to my grandkids, though!"

"Aran probably has that covered, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind you taking his job every now and then." Hiccup joked, and Valka laughed easily, perhaps a bit too loudly, but it was endearing.

"Goodnight, Hiccup." She stood, bending over to kiss him on the forehead. "Try not to be so hard on yourself. From everything I've heard about you, you're going to make the finest chief Berk has ever seen."

"Night, mom. Thanks." He smiled at her, a smile which she returned.

Despite how busy his mind had been before, he found himself falling asleep quite easily after that conversation with his mother. It had been a good talk, but he found himself regretting that he hadn't brought up his engagement with Aran. He really kind of needed to let his parents know about that. Before he passed out, he told himself he would tell them the next time he saw them, whether they be in the same room or not. When he woke up, he took a moment to stretch before heading downstairs. It appeared he had run into a parent of his much sooner than he'd thought, as he'd woken up rather early.

"Hiccup."

"Oh! Dad! Hey!" He laughed. "What are- what are you doing?" Stoick raised an eyebrow. "Carving. Right. I should have… guessed that… because you're holding a- a small wooden duck. And a knife." Stoick chuckled, shaking his head. "So, uhh, where's mom?"

"She woke up earlier. If you'd spent more nights at the house, you'd probably notice that she rises with the sun." Hiccup frowned, feeling guilty.

"Sorry…" Stoick shook his head.

"You're a grown man, I'm not expecting you to spend all your time with your parents." That only made him feel slightly better, but he wasn't about to have an emotional conversation with his dad, so instead he changed the subject.

"Ah, well, I'm moving out anyways, so I should probably spend a little more time with you guys before I go." At that, Stoick set the knife and duck aside.

"You're moving out?"

"Yeah, figured it was time I leave the nest, so to speak." He scratched the back of his head. "I know it's a bit unconventional, moving in with someone you're not married to, but that should be changing soon, and you'll probably have grandkids before you're sixty now, so- I'm just gonna-" Hiccup made for the door, but Stoick grabbed his arm as he passed. "Right." Hiccup sat himself down on the couch near the armchair his father occupied (when had they gotten that? His house almost felt foreign).

"Well?" Hiccup proceeded to tell the story of how he (lamely) proposed to Aran, and Stoick guffawed.

"To be fair, I'd like to point out that I have no reference point for this kind of thing. He still said yes." It occurred to Hiccup that Aran hadn't directly said yes, but it **had** been heavily implied.

"I have to wonder why. You're even worse than me!" Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Ha, ha." There was a surprisingly comfortable quiet, and he took a moment to feel content that their relationship had developed so much in comparison to what they'd been five years ago. "... You're really… okay with this?"

"With what- you and Aran?" Hiccup nodded hesitantly, grasping the fabric of his shirt in his hands. "Well, it's not what I had in mind, but I'd be blind not to see that you're happy together. I'll admit, I may not have been so open to the idea had Aran not told me everything while he had a concussion, but it was easy to see how much he cares for you." It was weird hearing the words coming from his father's mouth. He wasn't an idiot, but he wasn't the best at emotions.

"Oh." Hiccup knew he should be happy with those words, and he really was, but he wasn't sure what to say.

"If I'm being honest, he reminded me of my own feelings towards your mother." Hiccup nodded. "I could see the love in his eyes when he talked about you, and while he wasn't my first choice for you, I don't think I could ask for a better son-in-law." Stoick smiled at him, and he returned the smile. It was genuine.

"... Thanks, Dad." Hiccup got up from his seat. "I'm heading out. Do you need anything before I go?" He saw his father about to shake his head before having second thoughts.

"Well, could you bring Skullcrusher to me?"

Hiccup glanced outside, seeing the rather beetle-like dragon snoozing peacefully in the grass outside their house. He nodded and went outside, waking the dragon up with some difficulty. Skullcrusher stretched, and Hiccup fed the dragon before leading him inside the house, where his father was waiting. Stoick thanked him, hoisting himself up onto the dragon with the sheer strength of his arms alone. He flew off on the rumblehorn as Hiccup made his way to his own dragon with a decent amount of fish in a basket and a small breakfast of his own. He had plans to work on his father's wheelchair, but those could wait.

That day was full of adrenaline charged flights with Toothless, forgetting to eat, and a whole lot of tinkering. He was making significant progress on his father's wheelchair, and he spent a large portion of his time in the air with not just Toothless, but his mother as well. It was how several days passed, and he felt rather satisfied when he finished the wheelchair a few days after drawing the sketch. He tested it by piling heavy rocks on it and pushing it around, satisfied that it could take his father's weight. Hopefully it could take his strength as well, but Hiccup couldn't think of a way to test that, as he didn't have the muscle to replicate how much strain would be put on the wheels when his father wheeled himself around. The chair was able to fold up- something that took him a while to figure out- to take less space when it wasn't in use, and to provide easy carrying. He took advantage of this as he walked around in search of his father. It was surprisingly hard to find his old man, but when he did he decided to wait a bit longer, as he was on the docks at the moment and wouldn't be able to find any use for the wheelchair. There were stairs leading to the docks, after all. Hiccup really needed to figure out a way for Stoick to overcome stairs without getting on Skullcrusher.

Hiccup instead went to sit in the town's plaza, grabbing a sufficiently thick stick from the ground before taking his knife from its sheath on his arm and beginning to carve it, not completely sure what he was making. Eventually, it became a very small figurine of Toothless, roughly the size of half his thumb and lacking in any significant detail. It was nothing compared to the duck carvings his father seemed to do to relax in the mornings, and though he wasn't satisfied with his work, it had served its purpose of wasting time, and he looked up to see his father landing not quite nearby, but definitely in his range. Before he could take off to do whatever chiefly duties he had, Hiccup ran over to him, thanking the gods that he didn't slip and fall on his face like a fool. Stoick waited for him to catch his breath, and when he did he launched into an explanation of what he'd invented. He went on to ramble about how he'd tested the weight capabilities, but wasn't sure if the wheels would survive him turning them (hopefully they would- he'd found no evidence to suggest that they wouldn't, but he was a bit paranoid). As he unfolded the chair, Hiccup realized his father hadn't said anything to him, and he was surprised to look up and see him smiling. Before he could say anything to him, Stoick lowered himself to the wheelchair, and Hiccup was struck by the fact that he was looking down at his father now. It was jarring.

"Thank you." The words were simple, but they were incredible sincere. Hiccup didn't know how to respond, other than with a shrug and a smile. "I'm sure you've noticed that I'm… not exactly cut out for my job anymore." He looked older than Hiccup had ever noticed, though he supposed it made sense that he would look his age and then some. A fifty year old man, and the chief? That had to produce a lot of grey hairs.

"Well, I wouldn't say you've been doing a **terrible** job…" Hiccup tried to assure him, but he had to admit that his father's limited mobility was negatively affecting all the responsibilities he had in the day. Stoick gave him an unimpressed look, and Hiccup was sure his face betrayed his inner thoughts. Drat.

"I wasn't bringing it up for your pity."

"I know, I know…" Hiccup sighed. Stoick continued on as if he hadn't said anything, but that was fair because it wasn't as if what he'd said actually added anything to the conversation.

"As you know, before the whole…"

"Fiasco?"

"Yes, fiasco. Before the whole fiasco with Drago, I-"

"Decided it was about time you made me chief." Hiccup interrupted, knowing where the conversation was going.

"And you…"

"Flew away." He provided after his father trailed off, clearing wanting him to finish the sentence. Stoick put his large hands on the wheels of his chair and experimentally began moving himself forwards. Luckily, it seemed Hiccup had made it sturdy enough, and they were both on their way somewhere.

"You're twenty years old, Hiccup." Hiccup nodded.

"I-I know, I've been avoiding my responsibilities about chiefhood." He kicked a rock on the ground, luckily avoiding falling over. "Can I… tell you something?" His voice felt small, and hesitant. He was glad their path had taken them away from the busier parts of town.

"Anything." They came to a stop in a location Hiccup recognized to be near the house he would be moving out of soon.

"When I flew away, I…" He rubbed his nose, trying to get the words out. "I was just afraid of trying to be like you. I didn't think I had it in me, honestly." Hiccup wanted to tell him just how great, how brave, how absolutely selfless he was, but his throat suddenly felt tighter. "You're… I don't care what anyone says about Hamish the First; you're the greatest chief Berk has ever seen." Stoick gave him a genuine smile, and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he did so.

"That's a high opinion you have of me, son. I hope you prove yourself wrong." Hiccup followed him into the house, watching as he pulled a piece of parchment (likely his task sheet of the day) out from between his belt and tunic and placed it on the dinner table. "Come on, let's head to the great hall for dinner. We need have the chiefing ceremony, after all!" Hiccup laughed awkwardly about his dad's enthusiasm.

"About that, don't you think maybe, I don't know, we should tell the village that I'm kind of… engaged to Aran? Like, before we tell them I'm going to be… chief." They began making their way towards Meade Hall, and Hiccup was glad that he was finished with his father's wheelchair. It would have been awkward, looking up at him as he sat on Skullcrusher. Stoick seemed thoughtful. "And hey, if they kick me off the island, at least there's still Snotlout." The idea of his cousin being chief disturbed him greatly.

"They're not kicking you off the island if **I** have any say in it." Hiccup smiled at him. Then they reached the steps that lead up to the great hall, and he groaned.

"Okay, so I may not have planned the whole 'stairs' thing very well."

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 ** _Word Count: 3,995_**

 **I'm not super happy with this chapter. It's pretty short but ehhh oh well;;;**

 **Thanks for all the reviews on the latest chapter! Each one of them made me happy!**

 **Anyways, here are the guest reviews! I change how I do them literally every time I respond to them don't I :')**

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 **From: MMM**

 **Review:** finally they are getting married sweet can they really have kids?

 **Response:** They can indeed! Aran is basically a trans guy, so he can get pregnant. If any of you readers think that's weird, well, too bad.

 **From: Guest** (TruestofTrue is that you)

 **Review:** :Don't worry too much about lack of reviews-unfortunately readers can be both spoiled and lazy when it comes to remembering that review are important to the creative process. By the way, while I haven't reviewed this story in quite a while (see above), rest assured that your writing has not lost any of its finer qualities.

 **Response:** Ahh, yeah, I try not to, but sometimes you guys just confuse me :') It's quite alright that you've been busy! Thank you for the compliment!

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 **Anyways that's about everything. I'm not completely sure when I'll be updating again (chapter 38 is giving me a hard time...) but the way it's going now, it seems that this fic will end on chapter 40 (tho ch40 is technically an epilogue)! Stay tuned for a super important author's note that I'll be leaving at the end of ch40 by the way. You guy'll be helping me determine my next fanfic endeavor :D**

 **As always, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll "see" you next time!**


	38. Things Change

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

* * *

When Stoick told him to leave the announcement to him ( **his** father had announced his engagement to Valka, after all), Hiccup was initially relieved. He then found himself wishing they had just kept the engagement secret, and had a secret wedding, and moved in secretly, and had secret kids, because he was pretty damn sure he didn't want Meade Hall to look like Ragnarok had begun. Insults were being thrown at him from all directions, and he plastered a completely fake smile on his face as he sarcastically thanked them for their kind words. Try as he might in his attempts to calm the crowd down, Stoick's words didn't seem to be able to overpower the screams from their disgusted tribe members. It wasn't until Toothless burst in through the doors of the great hall and let out an ear-piercing screech that the noise lessened. The night fury leapt to Hiccup's side, curling around him protectively and growling at the Hooligans. There was an unnatural silence, only broken by the fire crackling much too happily in the tense atmosphere.

"You mean to tell me my nephew's a dirty rassragr?" Spitelout's voice broke the quiet.

"Well, I like to think I'm pretty clean actually, I took a bath two days ago." Hiccup shot back, earning a few chuckles.

From across the room, he made eye contact with Snotlout, who seemed oddly panicked. The humor from his comment was short lived, however, and suddenly the insults being thrown around before resumed in full force. Hiccup tapped his foot on the ground, looking down at the floor beneath his feet. He found himself unable to discern any specific words from the cacophony of shouting all around, and it seemed as if everything were blending together. It was still loud, but somehow he felt distant from it. That didn't stop him from noticing the sounds fading away to nothing, and he looked up in surprise to see his cousin of all people shoving his way through the crowd.

"Snotlout? What are you doing? Get over here!"

Snotlout stopped next to Hiccup, turning around and facing the crowd with a challenging look as he ignored his father. He said nothing, because he didn't need to. His fists clenched at his side, and Hiccup thought he saw him shaking slightly. Someone's shoulder bumping against his tore his eyes away from his cousin, and he turned to see Astrid, who shared a fierce look of determination with Snotlout. In fact, all of his friends, his family, stood beside him, albeit not physically (though they did push their way to the front of the crowd). Astrid proudly claimed that she had been with Heather for the better part of two years. Gobber reminded everyone of his own preferences, which were no secret around the village, but everyone tended to pretend he was 'normal' like the rest of them. Valka didn't mention her old girlfriend she'd briefly told Hiccup about, but she did say she and her husband would support their son no matter what. After Snotlout's move to stand beside Hiccup, it seemed the tribe had been split in two as to what to feel about the news of Hiccup's engagement.

The yells resumed in a much more argumentative manner, and Hiccup felt a headache growing. Looking around the great hall, he saw that the stubbornness of his tribe was getting the better of everyone, and clearly not a single person was going to listen to reason. Not seeing the point in staying, Hiccup mounted Toothless and flew over everyone's heads, out of hall. Several people shouted at him as he left, but he paid them no heed. He did, however, have to swerve to avoid hitting someone else as soon as him and Toothless made it out of the doors. Toothless shouted in alarm, and both pairs of dragon and rider tumbled to the ground, onto the grass. Hiccup glanced up to see a familiar head of red hair, though it looked a bit messy from Aran neglecting to tie it up before the flight.

"Aran! Shit, are you- are you okay?" Aran blinked, putting a hand on their lower back and looking at him as Méaróg greeted Toothless with a tackle. Toothless wasn't in the mood.

"Uhh, yeah, I'm fine. Really spooked us though. Nearly gave them a heart attack." They gestured to their pink dragon, who was trying to get Toothless's attention. Toothless was fixated on the door to the great hall, however. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, you just have really, **really** bad timing." Hiccup also looked to the door. It was swung wide open, and the light poured out from the large doors. People were walking out with torches in one hand, weapons in the other. It would have seemed a bit extreme for the situation if it weren't the norm. "Now I'm starting to think running away might have been a bad idea…" He mumbled, mostly to himself. It certainly wouldn't help his newfound reputation as a coward. Could it even be called newfound? That was what they thought of him before the battle with the Red Death, though he supposed that was for completely different reasons.

"Again, what's-" They let out a squeak as he pulled them closer for a rushed kiss before pulling them onto Toothless with him. "Hiccup, what are you doing."

"Nothing," Toothless took to the sky. "Just-"

"He's flying away!" Someone shouted from below.

"What's it to you? The boy's allowed to leave, if he wants! You can't take his freedom away!"

"Well, he sure is throwing away his dignity!" Came a third voice.

"Nobody like that should be chief! We'll be the laughingstock of the archipelago!"

"Hiccup…?" Aran was thoroughly confused, and though they strained to hear the 'conversation' happening below them, Toothless had already flown too high up, Méaróg in close pursuit as their sibling had essentially been kidnapped. But by a friend? It was weird.

"So, I may or may not have told my dad about us being engaged, and that I was ready to maybe be chief, and he immediately wanted to have my chiefing ceremony. For some reason I thought it'd be a good idea to have my dad announce our engagement before the chief thing, so now everyone is at each other's throats and you came along right when I decided to leave." He explained.

"... Wow." They looked down, squinting through the clouds to see that people were returning to their houses. "Well, it's not the worst result."

"Oh, really?" Hiccup wasn't completely sure how it could be worse.

"Yeah. You should have seen my village when I made out with the abbot's son. Keep in mind, this is when we were about twelve, and my village wasn't quite what it is today." The conversation was a distraction he was thankful for as he flew towards Aran's house.

"The abbot is a religious leader, right?" Aran nodded, twisting around to peck their fiancé on the lips. They understood why, in the rush of the moment, they'd wound up in front of him instead of behind, but it made their wish to show affection much more difficult. "Wow."

"Ah, I must have a thing for the sons of authority figures." They laughed, but it was cut short when they were suddenly be carried by Hiccup as he dismounted Toothless. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't talk about past relationships with my, uhh…"

"With your fiancé? Yeah, most people would probably tell you not to." Aran mumbled an apology into the general direction of his neck.

"... You know I can walk, right?" They asked as Hiccup went through the effort of entering their house while using both arms to carry them. He didn't bother attempting to light a candle, but Méaróg seemed to take it upon themself to light the fire pit.

"Did you ever listen to me when I said the same thing to you?" Aran huffed, and he deposited them on their bed before sitting on the other side and bending down to remove his foot and boot, using the light from the living room to see.

"Umm…" Hiccup lied down on his side, not seeming to care that the door wasn't fully closed or opened, but Aran knew that actually kind of bothered him so they got up and closed the door before removing their own shoes and lying next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy." He responded, clearly not peachy. Hiccup pulled them into his chest, breathing deeply into their hair, as if trying to inhale their scent. Not that they smelled like anything other than salt (the ocean, more specifically).

"Are we just going to…?"

"Today was fine, but it ended terribly and I'm tired. Can we just… sleep?" Aran gave him a (hopefully) comforting squeeze.

"Yeah… I'm sure everyone will come around. And if they don't, well, sucks for them, they're gonna miss out on our awesome wedding feast." If there was one thing Aran was looking forward to in terms of strange viking wedding traditions, it was the celebratory feast that followed. Hiccup laughed, but it was tired and sort of forced. "Sorry, I'm probably not helping."

"No, no, you're probably right. The village was kind of divided in half about it." That was probably because of Gobber's already known existence, and he would have to thank his pseudo uncle for that sometime. "With time, some of them can probably be… persuaded to be more accepting, but I guess I'll still just… be the chief's… son for a while, and not… the chief." His voice paused more as he spoke, and Aran remembered him claiming to be tired.

"Goodnight, Hiccup." They said, slight amusement lacing their voice. The two of them could talk about things in the morning.

And talk about things in the morning they did. After properly filling Aran in on everything that had happened in the time they'd been gone, they shared a moment of quiet thought. Both of them agreed it would probably be best to go about business as usual, as a way to show that literally nothing was different about them. Hiccup was still the dragon loving nerd he had been for the past five years, and Aran was still the social crowd pleaser they had always been. The only real difference in their behaviour was that Aran made no effort to hold back their affections due to the entire town knowing about their engagement. Hiccup still wasn't the most comfortable returning such affections in public, but he didn't push them away, and it was weirdly satisfying to have Aran lean up to give him a quick peck on the cheek before they spoke to him. Their friends were now free to openly tease the couple, and Astrid made it a personal goal of hers to keep Hiccup in a state of eternal embarrassment.

Several of the tribe members who had previously been against their relationship swayed upon seeing them act, well, completely normal. For them, that was enough. By the time Aran's twenty-second birthday came around, it seemed only a quarter of the village was still against their engagement. About half of them were eager to see the chief's son married, and the other quarter were more or less indifferent. Preparations for the ceremony were underway, and the location had taken only moments to decide upon. Obviously, it had to be outside (how else would the entire village be present?), and Hiccup and Aran simultaneously stated they should hold it in the cove Hiccup had first met Toothless. Gobber, as promised, had searched out Berk's finest goat as a sacrifice for Thórr. With the help of Mulch and Bucket, he also found a sow for Freyja, as well as a boar for Freyr. Aran wasn't completely sure which animal's blood they would be sprinkled with, but they were pretty sure all three of them would be used for the following feast.

The date of the wedding had been decided to be sometime in late fall, when food would be plentiful and mead in ready supply. They needed to have enough of the honey based alcohol to share for a full moon cycle, after all. It was after everything needed for the wedding was accounted for that Aran made their own proposal to Hiccup, one that was ridiculously romantic in comparison to Hiccup's, though that wasn't really saying much if we're being honest here. It had involved a scavenger hunt, various locations and objects that held significance to both of them, and more riddles than he'd been expecting that day. In the end, he managed to be lead back to where he'd started- the cove he'd met Toothless in. Aran was there, looking nervous as they fiddled with something in their pocket. Hiccup walked over, eyebrow raised.

"Alright, what's this all about?" Aran laughed nervously, cheeks flushing red as they reached out to grasp both of his hands.

" _This might be a stupid thing to do, all things considered, but…_ " Normally one to maintain eye contact whenever possible, they suddenly found themself focused on Hiccup's hands, rubbing their thumbs over them in meaningless patterns. " _You robbed me of my opportunity, so I'm pretending that didn't happen._ "

"Aran, what are you talking about?" Hiccup raised a brow, not sure what they were trying to say at all.

" _I'm proposing to you, you idiot._ " Aran snapped out, then immediately regretted it and groaned, leaning forward to bump their head against his chest. " _Fuck, I did the scavenger hunt and everything and had this sappy speech all ready for you but you just looked at me with your pretty green eyes and everything flew out the window._ " Hiccup blinked, sure that a blush was forming on his own face.

"Oh. Pretend I didn't- didn't say anything." He gave Aran a moment to collect themself. Seeing as they were already engaged, he didn't see the point of proposing, but he could tell it meant a lot to Aran and he wasn't about to deprive them of this.

"..." Aran took a deep breath before raising their head to look up at him. Hiccup was startled by the eye contact, and he had to hold back a laugh when Aran immediately lost the nerve to look him in the eye, shifting their gaze to the scar on his chin. " _Hiccup Horren- actually scratch that, I'm not going to say your full name because you kind of hate it._ " They mentally berated themself, wondering why they hadn't thought of that before.

"That's-" He paused. "That's true." Aran smiled, getting some of their confidence back.

" _Hiccup Haddock, when I first came to this crazy island full of vikings and dragons, I literally had no idea what the fuck was going on. You were like this scrawny blessing in disguise who I wanted to cherish and protect from the world because damn, it wasn't treating you with all the love you deserve._ " Aran squeezed his hands when he tried to say he really didn't deserve a significant amount of love. " _I was fully expecting to go back home as soon as I'd recovered from my burn, but I knew immediately that I didn't want to leave you all alone. At the time, all I wanted for you was to be more confident in yourself, and I pushed all of my own issues to the side. I sure as hell didn't expect you to go through the most massive growth spurt I've ever seen and suddenly become the most attractive person I knew._ " Both of them laughed a little at that. " _Needless to say, a lot of the issues I helped you with had all but been resolved, and I finally let myself lean on you for support instead of trying to be this ridiculous pillar of strength. God knows I actually kind of really needed it. All of those adventures out on Dragon's Edge were so terrifying, because I thought I would lose you to some stupid dragon hunter._ " They shook their head. " _I don't know what I'd do without you now._ " Brown eyes finally tore themselves from their joined hands to watch Hiccup's face. He was wide-eyed, quietly taking in everything they were saying. " _That's why I pushed you out of the way of Toothless's blast without even caring about what happened to me. I would have been fine with dying, knowing that at least you were okay…_ " Aran trailed off for a moment before shaking their head. " _But we've had so many late-night conversations after having maybe a little too much to drink and talked for hours about starting a family together, and I'm so glad we survived to see the day we can actually chase that dream. You have huge responsibilities, being the new chief, and I want to support you every step of the way, just as I've always tried to do ever since I became a part of your life._ " They lowered themself to kneel in front of him, still holding onto his left hand as they pulled a small box from their pocket. " _I know there's no point in asking, because we're already kind of engaged, but… Hiccup, will you marry me?_ " They opened the box to reveal a golden ring depicting two hands holding a brown gemstone heart with a crown atop it. It was beautifully simple.

"Aran…" Hiccup had no idea how to reply to such a speech and found himself biting his lower lip. "Gods, no wonder you thought my proposal was the- the worst." He laughed sheepishly, continuing before Aran could say anything. "Yes. I mean, what other answer can I really give? We're kind of already engaged." Aran laughed.

"I still can believe how badly I managed to mess this up." They took the ring out of its small container before putting that back in his pocket, sliding the ring onto Hiccup's left hand, crown facing towards his wrist. "I had everything planned out, too."

"I thought it was nice." Hiccup said sincerely, catching them as they stumbled trying to stand up properly.

"Th-thanks…" They blushed, smiling as they looked at the gemstone in the ring. Hiccup thought it looked strangely warm. "It's a claddagh." They stated, answering a question Hiccup hadn't even thought of yet.

"And I've never heard of that." Aran huffed, taking Hiccup's left hand in theirs and brushing their right hand against his ring.

"It's an Irish thing. The heart, hands, and crown represent love, friendship, and loyalty." They pointed to the different components of the ring.

"Oh! I like that a lot." He smiled. Something occurred to him as he looked into their eyes. "You chose brown." Aran blushed, averting their gaze.

"My mum thought it'd be nice for the gem to remind you of me somehow, and I couldn't think of anything else. Sorry it's kind of lame, I know my eyes aren't that interesting." Hiccup took his hand from theirs and tilted their face up to kiss them.

"I think they're beautiful."

Aran's words got lost somewhere in their throat, and they instead pulled Hiccup into a hug. The two of them swayed slightly, not bothering to move from the cove or the embrace for a long while. Nothing much was said between them, because nothing more really needed to be said. It had grown dark by the time they left the cove, and they made idle conversation about how they planned on expanding Aran's house when they moved in together and had kids. Upon entering town, they said quick goodbyes, parting ways after hugging. Hiccup had moved most of his belongings into Aran's house, excluding his old bed, but his parents had decided he probably shouldn't officially move in until after the wedding. It was just another thing he had to look forward to, he supposed as he drifted to sleep. It was strange to think he'd once been dreading the very idea of marriage, but now the wedding couldn't come soon enough. Things had definitely changed in recent years, and he would say they were for the better.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 3,346**_

 **This chapter is sooo short wtf... I couldn't really think of much else to write tho? So oh well**

 **I know claddagh rings and shit didn't exist back then but... i don't care. They are a real thing tho so if you want to look up a picture of one, you can totally find one haha. Probably not one of the specific ring I described bc that is of my own invention, but if you use your imagination I'm sure you can picture it uwu**

 **There are only two chapters left... wow...** **Really tho, please stick around for my final A/N on chapter 40! It will be important**

 **And as always, I hope you enjoyed reading, and I'll see you next time!**


	39. A Wedding

Unformatted **text is Norse, or narration.**

 _Italicized_ **text is Irish.**

Underlined **text is Dragonese.**

 **Bold text is used for emphasis (and author's notes).**

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Sometime during the month leading up to Hiccup and Aran's wedding, Aran made a point to announce to the village that they could, in fact, become pregnant. It was a nerve wracking experience, and they were incredibly nervous for the entirety of the announcement, but despite the initial fear that the entire village would suddenly reject them, everything turned out alright in the end. Many Hooligans were impressed that they'd managed to cut such a masculine figure despite not having been blessed with such a thing. Most of the people who had been against their marriage found themselves unable to find fault with it considering the revelation that their chief would still be able to produce an heir, and the scathing looks the couple had previously received seemed like a thing of the distant past.

A week and a half before the wedding, Hiccup, Aran, Stoick, and Valka flew to Ireland, temporarily leaving Astrid and Iris (or was it Ilanah? The village was divided on what to call her, as her mother called her Iris but Johann called her Ilanah) in charge. Iris was a woman skilled with social situations due to a life lived in a trading port with her bartender of a mother, trader of a biological father, and self-proclaimed adventurer of an adoptive father. Astrid, on the other hand, was extremely decisive, had the background knowledge and understanding of viking culture, and some situations were better left with her due to the people's trust in her. The two of them made a good team in terms of chiefing, making up for what the other lacked.

" _Mum!_ " Aran called out as they dismounted Méaróg. " _Dad!_ "

" _Aran!_ " Came the voices of both of their parents. " _There's our little angel!_ " The family shared a group hug.

" _I was starting to worry you forgot about us._ " Canice joked before catching sight of Hiccup approaching behind Aran. Hiccup put an arm around their waist and gave his second set of parents a wordless greeting.

" _And who are they?_ " Orlaith asked, seeing Valka help Stoick down into his wheelchair after removing it from Skullcrusher's side.

" _Ah! Mum, dad, this is Stoick and Valka._ " Aran provided, gesturing to the couple approaching. " _Remember I told you about them? Hiccup's parents?_ "

" _Oh, of course!_ It's nice to meet you, Stoick, Valka." Orlaith inclined her head to them as her husband gave them a little smile and nod.

"I remember you…" Valka had a vague look of remembrance on her face as she approached Orlaith, movements oddly animalistic. She got a little too close, invading what one would assume was the shorter woman's personal bubble.

"Mom! Personal space!" Hiccup exclaimed. " _Ahh, I'm sorry, Orlaith._ " He apologized for his mother, but Orlaith didn't seem to care very much, waving him off.

"Orlaith!" Valka grinned, an almost child-like excitement on her face. "And- and Canice!" She sighed. "It was so long ago that I came here- nearly ten years now." Valka removed herself from Orlaith's personal space.

" _Maybe you should have taught us a little more Norse, Aran._ " Canice laughed at the exchange. " _Or them some Irish?_ "

" _Dad, actually, knows Irish now, I don't know why he's pretending he doesn't._ " Stoick chuckled.

" _I'm an old man, can't I stay quiet for a moment?_ " He asked, gesturing his hands in amusement as Valka began wheeling him towards the house. Aran had begun walking inside, so the group decided it was time to head in. Orlaith had cooked, apparently.

" _I am not good at the Irish, but I can try._ " Valka stated, blushing slightly. " _It is a little bit hard to learn a new tongue._ Well, for the most part, at least." She chuckled.

"Wa- Mom, you know how to- what?" Valka laughed at the looks she received.

"I didn't spend twenty years of my life with dragons for nothing! I'd have gone insane without being able to speak with them!"

" _It really is such a wonderful thing, that you've found your mother._ " Orlaith said, completely off topic as she served six dishes of food. " _Shame about Stoick here's lack of mobility, but much worse things could have happened, I'm sure. Oh, and you two finally being able to marry!_ " She sighed. " _Everything is looking up, isn't it?_ "

" _Yeah, it really is._ " Aran sighed, a blissful look on their face.

The two families joined together in a meal, Valka and Orlaith getting along splendidly. Stoick and Canice didn't achieve the same sort of bond their wives did, and they didn't talk much. Aran suspected this was because their father wasn't the most comfortable person in social situations when he wasn't accustomed to the person already. It had already been late by the time they'd arrived in Ireland, so they all went to sleep after dinner, Stoick and Valka claiming the guest room. Canice and Orlaith stayed in their own room, and Hiccup joined Aran in theirs. Everyone was exhausted from the long day, and the two youngest members of the house settled into bed, cuddled against one another. Hiccup left a brief kiss on their cheek, and they sent him a curious look when he removed his ring.

"I'm not really supposed to wear this until the actual ceremony." He explained, and Aran's mouth formed a little 'o' as they took the ring back.

"Do you have a ring for me?" They asked curiously as they slipped the ring onto the first finger it fit on- their index finger. It seemed Hiccup's hands were just a bit larger than theirs, as the ring refused to stay in place on their ring finger.

"Yes, but… you don't get to see it until I put it on you." He smiled, and they pouted.

"That's not fair."

Hiccup laughed at that, pulling them to his chest and telling them to go to sleep. They did so, and the two of them were soon fast asleep. The next morning, the families went outside, Aran explaining to their parents that they could choose who to ride with. Orlaith easily chose to ride with Valka, who was more than happy with the arrangement as it meant spending time with her new friend. Canice took a moment before shrugging and saying he may as well ride with his offspring. Soon, all of them had mounted and begun the journey back to Berk. The little trip had the purpose of introducing their parents, as well as getting Aran's parents a ride to their child's (first) wedding. Orlaith hadn't been particularly happy at how distinctly un-Christian it would be, but she was sated when informed that after the week of feasting that would follow the wedding, the newlyweds would go back to Ireland to have a 'proper' wedding (in her eyes, at least).

The Christian wedding would be a beautiful thing, and Hiccup would be very much impressed by Aran wearing fancy clothing, but that won't be written of until Iris is the main character. It was already being planned and arranged, but that wasn't what was on anybody's mind at the moment. The week leading up to the viking wedding left Hiccup and Aran spending less and less time together, but Aran suspected that was customary for viking culture. Orlaith was well liked by the community, despite her Norse being ridiculously basic. Her cheerful, friendly nature was endearing, and she seemed determined to learn Norse in a week. She failed, of course, but at least she tried, and one would be lying if they said she hadn't learned anything. Canice spent quite some time with the men around his age, especially Badr and Gobber. Badr had become the unofficial translator despite only having known Norse for a year.

Aran was woken up on the day of the wedding before the sun had even risen by a very excited Méaróg. The pink dragon judged their face, and they laughed, sitting up. It was then that Valka's voice spoke, stating the obvious fact that Aran was awake. Though they were a little confused at first, they did remember learning from Hiccup that this was, in fact, part of the preparations. They allowed Valka and their mother drag them from their home and towards the bath-house they had never actually seen before. By the time they reached the stone structure, the sun had nearly finished rising. Méaróg followed them to the bath-house, eagerly following Valka's instructions that Aran couldn't understand due to them being in Dragonese.

The next course of action was to strip Aran of all their usual garments and sit in the steam room Valka had prepared with the help of Méaróg. Aran relaxed in the humid, toasty atmosphere as the two mothers joined them. They thought they caught sight of a new outfit set out for them outside the steam room, but that was pushed from their mind as Valka and Orlaith began a conversation about the difference between the weddings they were accustomed to. Orlaith seemed miffed that the vikings didn't dress particularly nicely for weddings, but Valka explained that it wouldn't be very nice to get blood on white silk garments. It was after this conversation that Valka seemed to remember why it was that she was there in the first place, and she nearly smacked herself for forgetting. In her defense, this was the first time she'd done anything like this in over twenty years.

"The steam bath is to wash away your 'maiden' status." Valka began explaining, using air quotes around the word. "It purifies you in preparation for the ritual later today." Aran nodded.

"Mum?" Aran looked at Orlaith, who smiled and nodded, signifying that she'd understood.

"Now, the duties of the 'wife' are…" Valka went on a long ramble about the role of a wife, the religious activities one should take part in, and the 'best' way to live with a man. She tried (and failed) to hold back her laughter at the mortified look on Aran's face.

"I'm not doing that." Aran stated, and Valka waved a hand at them.

"Of course not! That was what they told **me** to do, and I **never** listened." The three of them chuckled. "You're hardly a bride, anyways." Aran shrugged.

"I'm not." They agreed. Valka laughed again.

"What I really recommend for married life, is to make sure you always try to listen to each other. Your relationship should be formed on a base of trust, honesty, and equality." She smiled at them.

" _Any relationship that works, is._ " Orlaith added. " _Your father and I's included._ "

After what seemed like (and probably was) hours, the three of them left the steam room. Aran made to get dressed, but Valka held them back as she started an actual bath. Orlaith got dressed before gathering what seemed like a mixture of herbs, flowers, and oils. The two mothers got the bath ready, and Aran found themself shivering because Valka had made sure the water was freezing. At least it smelled nice, they supposed. Valka explained the significance behind the items that had been added to the water as she got dressed, but Aran just found themself wishing they could go back to the steam room. After they'd spent sufficient time in the cold bath, letting their pores close or some nonsense like that, they were allowed to dry themself and get dressed in their new clothes.

Aran understood the symbolism of discarding their old, 'maiden' clothes, but they were pretty sure they were still going to keep those. The outfit they would be wearing for the ceremony, however, was not made up of the rough brown material they'd grown accustomed to. It was much softer, and instead of their usual shoulder-exposing shirt, they wore a tunic that was a bit on the short side and deep red in colour. It was trimmed with simple Celtic knotwork, and Aran wondered how much time their mother had dedicated to adding that to their outfit. The tunic's neck scooped down enough to show some of the burn scar on their chest, and Aran wondered if their mother had noticed they liked to keep that just slightly visible. A thick belt wrapped around their waist, for decoration more than anything else. The long sleeves satisfied their need for warmth after being dunked in the cold bath, and they rubbed their arms. They'd also been given a dark brown kilt, complete with an ornate sporran to put around their hips. New boots were slipped onto their feet, and they had to admit, they probably wouldn't be wearing their old ones ever again. These were more simple, yes, but they were also much more comfortable. Aran smiled at the two women after they finished admiring themself in the mirror.

"Oh, you look lovely." Valka commented.

" _Could look lovelier._ " Orlaith was still a bit put off by the lack of fancy garb, but she had to admit that the new outfit did look nice.

Aran laughed, admiring themself in the mirror one last time before following Valka out of the bath-house. The three of them made their way to the Haddock household, where Valka brought them to her and Stoick's room. Aran was sat down on the edge of the bed, and Valka announced that they had time to kill, so they may as well have fun with their hair. She did half of their hair, while Orlaith did the other half. The end result looked more than a bit ridiculous, with various different kinds of braids and the like. Aran laughed when Valka brought them a hand mirror, and they began to undo the mess their mothers had created. Orlaith sat behind them on the bed and began brushing their hair properly as Valka searched for something, explaining that normally, one's wedding day would be the last time a woman wore her hair loose. She gestured to the three long braids she had going down her back. Aran, of course, didn't have to follow this expectation, but it would be nice to leave their hair loose for the wedding regardless. Valka stopped in front of them with a circlet, flowers entwined with the metal wires. She put it on their head after Orlaith finished brushing their hair. For once, none of the red strands fell in their line of vision.

"I wonder how Hiccup's morning has been?" Aran wondered aloud.

Hiccup's morning had been fine. Like usual, he'd gotten up early to fly Toothless. Early enough for the sun to be rising, but late enough for him to actually be able to see. Upon returning to his house, he was met with the sight of his father and uncle conversing. He was only mildly surprised that Spitelout was there. Upon giving them a questioning look, Stoick gestured for his younger brother to hand him a sword. Hiccup accepted the ancient looking weapon, admiring it as Stoick and Spitelout began telling him about the family history. Hiccup only sort of payed attention to them, more focused on inspecting the intricate sword hilt.

The next step in his preparation for his wedding was to visit the bath-house in the same manner Aran had. Hiccup very firmly refused this. He did not want to take a steam bath with his father and uncle. Stoick seemed offended by this rejection, but Spitelout didn't seem to care.

"I was there to give your Uncle Spitelout marriage advice when **he** married!"

"That was the worst time of my life and I never listened to you." Spitelout shot back. He looked to be in a sour mood, and Hiccup suspected he didn't want to take part in this at all.

"Maybe that's why your wife is always fainting!"

"Uh, Dad, I'm pretty sure Aunt Freda has always been like that." Hiccup pointed out, only to be ignored as his father and uncle got into a heated brotherly argument. "... I'm going to the bath-house now. By myself." Stoick frowned.

"At least let me give you advice on the way there." He requested, and Hiccup sighed.

That was how Hiccup found himself receiving romantic advice from his father and uncle as he walked to the bath-house. It was incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. Every comment Spitelout made caused him to cringe. Every moment his dad spoke he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. On his way to the bath, he thought he saw his mother heading towards the Haddock household, but he caught sight of the bath-house and quickened his pace. Hiccup practically ran inside, ditching his father after promising he wouldn't forget all the steps. If he was being honest, he was incredibly nervous- much more than Aran. He was thankful for the steam bath, because it relaxed his tense muscles and cleared his mind. As he fell into a sort of daze, he thought he heard the sounds of a bath being prepared, and assumed his father had convinced Spitelout to prepare the bath for him. Hiccup got up as the sounds subsided, deciding his suspicions were probably correct. A bath was ready for him, as well as a new set of clothes, but his relatives were nowhere in sight. He awkwardly hopped to the bath on one foot, as he'd taken his prosthetic off before entering the steam room, and gracelessly entered the water, not particularly bothered by the change in temperature.

Upon deciding he was sufficiently clean, he stood from the bath, using the wall as support as he dried himself. His next course of action was to get dressed in the new garments he was sure his mother had provided him with. The tunic was the same sort of muted green he always wore, though he noted that it was a bit longer than he was used to wearing now. It wasn't quite as long on him as the clothes he'd worn when he'd first met Aran, but it was still longer than what he wore now. An interesting thing to note was the square neck hole that dipped down further than he was used to, trimmed with Celtic knotwork he associated with the hem of Aran's old jacket they didn't seem to wear as often anymore. There was also a thick belt that only fit around his waist. It was trimmed with the same knotwork, and he wondered how much influence Orlaith had on his outfit. The pants were a usual dark brown, and his boot had been properly refurbished. He picked up his family sword from where it was propped on the wall, sheathing it at his hip and feeling rather satisfied with it. He put his foot on and walked out of the bath-house.

His father was waiting for him outside, and Hiccup self-consciously crossed his arms as the man appraised his outfit. Stoick nodded in approval, making a short comment about him looking handsome before checking the sun's height in the sky. It was time for the actual ceremony and Hiccup felt his nerves come back in full force as he called out for Toothless. Skullcrusher came as well, and Stoick proved once more that he needed no assistance in mounting his dragon. Soon, the two of them had flown off to the cove where several villagers were already waiting, as well as Canice. Hiccup sent him a nervous smile and received a reassuring one in return. He dismounted Toothless and stood by the temporary stone altar at the edge of the water. An empty bowl sat atop the stones.

Most of the village had arrived by the time Aran showed up on Méaróg's back. Hiccup noted that their shirt matched his in everything but colour and length, theirs being a bit shorter than his. Aran dismounted Méaróg quickly, nearly tripping and having to go back to their sibling to retrieve the sword they'd accidentally left in the dragon's mouth. By the time they took their place by Hiccup's side, there was an embarrassed blush on their face, and they were adjusting the circlet that was keeping the hair out of their face. They quickly apologized to Hiccup for being late, and he could only nod, feeling his throat go dry because they looked quite nice and it had been a while since he'd seen them up close. Aran was quietly rambling on about how their mothers must have coordinated their outfits, and Orlaith surely spent much too long making the knotwork, and many other related topics he couldn't bring himself to focus on. Hiccup silenced them by slipping his hand into theirs when Gobber brought three live animals out- a goat, a sow, and a boar. Aran must have noticed his hand shaking, because they gave it a reassuring squeeze. He forced a smile.

Gothi gestured for Hiccup to hand her the bowl that sat on the stone altar, and he did so without letting go of Aran's hand. She held the bowl with both hands, staff nowhere in sight as she motioned for Gobber the bring Freyr's boar forward. He did so, and Aran winced when he slit the throat of the poor creature, letting the blood pool into the bowl in Gothi's hands. Bucket and Mulch took the dead animal away as Stoick made the vocal prayer to Freyr. Gobber took the bowl of blood as Gothi brought out a bundle of fir twigs, dipping it in the thick red liquid. Hiccup had noticed Aran's grip on his hand tighten at the death of the boar, but they seemed fine now that it was just a bowl of blood. Gothi raised the twigs before moving it in the hammer-sign- a short movement down, and a swift one from left to right. Warm drops of blood landed on Hiccup and Aran's face and clothes, and Aran blinked a few times, disconcerted. The old woman proceeded to spray the rest of the assembled villagers with the blood before making a full circle and returning to the 'bride' and groom. She placed the fir-twigs in the blood before taking the bowl and reaching to put it on top of the stone altar. Gothi then backed away slightly, waving for them to proceed with the next step.

Hiccup slipped his hand out of theirs to pull his family sword from its sheath at his side. He presented the sword to them as they held out the sword they'd nearly forgotten in Méaróg's mouth. It was at that point that they exchanged swords, Hiccup sheathing the new one in place of the old one as Aran secured the ancestral sword in the ground. The swords represented many old beliefs that neither of them put any stock into, but it was a nice sort of symbolism that likely put the minds of the more traditional villagers at ease. Toothless approached the two of them, two boxes balanced carefully on his head. He looked as if he were concentrating very hard not to drop them, and Hiccup couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Everything had gone right so far. It would have been hilarious if Toothless managed to lose the rings. He took the box closer to him, opening it and pulling out a gold claddagh ring near identical to the one he knew Aran had made for him. Aran blinked in surprise as he took their hand, about to slip the ring on.

" _Wait, that's backwards!_ " They whispered at him. Hiccup blinked, and Aran laughed nervously. " _The crown faces the wrist if you're engaged. The heart faces the wrist if you're married._ "

Their explanation came quickly, and Hiccup corrected himself, muttering a quick apology as he nearly dropped the ring, feeling his face go red. Aran admired the ring momentarily, somewhat confused by how identical it was to their own, save for a very familiar gemstone of forest green. Hiccup glanced towards the other box, and Aran realized they were taking too long before fumbling to get out the ring they'd proposed with. They slipped it on Hiccup's finger with a nervous sort of laugh, and Toothless decided his job was finished as he turned around and went off to Valka, who rewarded him with a rather large icelandic cod. There were chuckles from the town at the excitable dragon, and Hiccup and Aran stepped closer, putting their hands together on the hilt of the Haddock Family Sword. Aran took a moment before Hiccup spoke his vows to feel very small as their almost-husband's hands rested on top of theirs.

"Five years ago I could never have imagined I would be in this place- a place where I can look into the eyes of my first friend and pledge to spend my life with them in front of the whole village." Aran bit their lip, blushing as they met his eyes. "You are the sweetest, most loving, caring, and kind person I have ever known, and I have no doubt that you make me a better person and chief. You've always believed in me, and every day you wind up reminding me that there's no one else I could love more. I'm not sure that- that even **ten** lifetimes would be long enough for me to return all that you've given me but I promise to spend my days by your side. To inspire you, laugh with you, cherish you, confirm you, share your dreams and grow with you. I believe in what we are and I will always love you with every beat of my heart."

"Oh no, that was so sweet." They would have put a hand over their face in some vague attempt to cover their smile and blush, but said hands were firmly stuck on the sword hilt under Hiccup's. " _Fuck._ " A sound of indignation came from Aran's mother. "Sorry, mum!" There was laughter from the crowd. "Ah, I vow to never give you up, let you down, or run around and desert you." Aran had a very blank look on their face and Hiccup couldn't tell whether to take them serious or not. " _Sorry. Saving the mushy stuff for our Christian wedding._ " Apparently they were serious. Hiccup frowned.

Aran didn't get a moment to comment on the sour expression on their husband's face before the village decided to chant for them to kiss. They did so without a second thought, but something about it felt a bit off that they couldn't place their finger on. It was pushed from their mind as everyone began to make their way towards the great hall. Hiccup lead them through the door and across the floor for some superstitious reasons Aran didn't quite understand. They took great joy in theatrically serving him the first drink of mead that night, reciting a traditional verse that wished good health and strength on the drinker. Hiccup dedicated the drink to Thor before immediately toasting to Odin and taking a sip. Aran wondered what that was about, but nobody thought it was strange, so they just went with it. It was their turn to drink the mead next, and they were reminded to make a toast to Freyja before taking a sip of their own. They nearly spit it out when Hiccup mentioned that he'd added two drops of blood from the morning's sacrifice, but swallowed it down and glared at him when he stated he was joking.

They gave Hiccup an odd look when Gothi came over, hammer in hand. She placed it on their lap and began making some sort of movements with her hand and staff before taking it away and hobbling off, and Hiccup explained to them (with no shortage of amusement) that the old woman had been blessing their fertility. Aran huffed, crossing their arms and claiming that nobody should really need their fertility to be blessed so many times in one ceremony. One blessing from God would suffice, thank you very much! Hiccup held back a laugh, putting a hand on their knee as a way to get them to stop speaking when his father cleared his throat. Stoick gave a grand speech that Aran was too busy to distract Hiccup during to pay any attention to. The chief announced that the feast would begin then, and Aran was amazed at the amount of energy that managed to explode into the room. They very much wanted to let loose and get ridiculously drunk, but Hiccup kept them in check- something greatly amusing to all of their friends. Aran claimed that nothing would stop them from getting raging drunk the next day, however. The only thing stopping them that night was that they knew the wedding procedures technically weren't finished. As the night wound down, Aran had managed to maintain a pleasant buzz.

" _What now?_ " They asked as they tried to melt into Hiccup's side.

"Well normally, you would wait in our room so I could take your virginity, but-" Aran snorted as they began laughing, and Hiccup rolled his eyes in amusement.

" _God, I really ruined your traditions, huh?_ " They commented, and Hiccup could only shrug.

"Well, I kind of ruined my **own** traditions, first." He replied.

And the two of them would probably keep doing just that for a quite a long while.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 4,855**_

 **Writing this chapter was so difficult. I want it to be known that I absolutely hate writing weddings, and I hate myself for vowing to write at least two more. Sure as hell not in this fanfic, though. This one is ending on the next chapter.**

 **I tried to stick to the one website I found about viking weddings, but I do want it to know I brought some traditions from a later, more recorded time period of viking times (like the bridal crownnn) and dropped some of the old ones because they didn't fit. I'd also like it to be known that I'm... I've lived in the USA for most of my life, and while I am half Irish, I'm not the best at culture... so I apologize if I got any of the things wrong.**

 **Yes, I literally made Aran's terrible vow Never Gonna Give You Up. Hiccup doesn't know the song but he's not happy about it. If you wanna read the drama right now, too bad because that's going to be written in a different series of mine (:**

 **Also I would like to say that Heather and Dagur were in this chapter. I just... didn't... mention them... because I didn't mention any of the guests... I didn't even say Astrid's name one time during the wedding times...**

 **I would like to remind you once more, to stick around at the end of chapter 40 when I post it! I'm going to have a probably EXTREMELY long author's note after the epilogue that's all about the next three fics I have planned! None of them are named yet, but I can give you brief descriptions of what they are!**

 **Modern AU - Hiccup has a very hard life and it is in the modern setting. Note: my modern AU oneshot (Genderfluid Fun Times With Hooky) I posted a bit ago is set in this AU! If you read that you can get a taste of the side plot that isn't relevant to the main story at all because I for some reason really wanted to write about Hooky (in case you couldn't tell by the title and summary of the fic, Hooky is the name Hookfang uses when feeling feminine).**

 **Ilanah/Iris PoV - This is basically just HTDWV but from Ilanah's point of view!**

 **Future Fic (How to Write the Future? idk, pls help me with titles) - It's kinda just. "Post-HTDWV" so like. Yeah. It's a next-gen fic (tho I mean idk if that term actually applies to any fandoms besides HP oops? idk you know what I mean tho right?)  
**

 **BONUS: if I seriously can't get it out of my mind I might do a fic called "How to Deal With Smut" and it's just every time Aran and Hiccup did the diddly.**

 **Anyways, that was a long A/N, but I really hope you stick around for the one at the end of the last chapter! I'll be talking more about my planned fics then, giving some better details, and I'll be willing to answer any questions you have that wouldn't be giving away spoilers~!**

 **I love you guys a bunch, I hope you enjoyed this long chapter to make up for chapter 38, and I hope next time won't be the last time I see you!**


	40. Epilogue (Please Read the Ending AN)

**PLEASE STICK AROUND FOR MY ENDING AUTHOR NOTE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MY UPCOMING FANFIC IDEAS!**

 **I'm not gonna bother with the language note for this last chapter, you should know the drill by now.**

* * *

Initially, Hiccup had thought the whole 'chiefing' business was a bit overwhelming, and he wasn't cut out for the job. Thankfully, he'd gotten the hang of it over the course of the next ten years, and quite frankly wasn't sure what he would be doing with himself otherwise. Every time he saw his father, a smile made its way onto his face because he'd never seen the now sixty year old man look so relaxed. The stress of being chief was ever-present, but it did make him feel a little relieved knowing how he'd taken such a huge burden off Stoick's shoulders. It wasn't as if he were carrying it alone, either. Aran and Astrid were always happy to help with whatever he needed, and his other friends generally didn't object when he asked anything of them.

Speaking of his friends, it seemed most of them had settled down, save for the twins. They were still just as eager to cause mischief, despite reaching thirty years of age. Not even Tuffnut, who had found a young boy in the woods and elected to adopt him (though one had to take into account the fact that Tuffnut was raising him less like a son and more of a successor to his and his sister's devotion to Loki). Heather and her brother had come to Berk for Hiccup and Aran's wedding, and had left for a few months before the girl returned to settle down with Fishlegs and Astrid. The three of them had two children of approximately the same age, one Heather's and one Astrid's. An interesting couple to crop up was that of Snotlout and Ilanah (over the years, the village stopped calling her Iris, favoring Johann's name for her), who had left for an entire three years and returned with a newborn child and the claim that they'd gotten married. Hiccup wasn't quite sure what the story behind that had been, but they seemed happy together, so he decided it wasn't his place to judge. Their daughter was around the age of Hiccup's own daughter, and it was always weird to think that he was, in fact, an uncle.

His own uncle never seemed to get over the fact that he wasn't attracted to women in the slightest, but at least he'd become less vocal about it. Hiccup supposed that was only because he was the father of three children at this point, so there wasn't really much Spitelout could complain about. If he was being honest, the news of Aran's first pregnancy had startled him, as the two had only been married for a month before they realized what exactly the nausea, moodiness, and cravings for foreign foods Trader Johann brought by (soybeans in particular) really meant. When Aran realized what was going on, they had been ridiculously excited, and the whole town knew before the end of the day. Hiccup had vaguely wanted to keep such a thing just the slightest bit more private, but he supposed it didn't matter in the end.

"Hiccup?" Aran's voice brought him out of his remembrance, and he looked up to see his spouse approaching, trying not to yawn. Hiccup smiled at the sight of them carrying their youngest child, Vivian, as though they were still a newborn.

"Hey, there!" He spoke to the four year old, familiar green eyes peering up at him joyously as they held their little arms out. Aran was glad to hand them over. Viv may be four, but they refused to go anywhere without one of their family members. It was a bit worrisome sometimes, as Hiccup was almost always busy with his duties, causing Aran to be watching over Viv constantly, unless they decided to drop them off with Stoick, Valka, or their sister. They didn't do that very often. "How's my little peanut doing?" He asked, rubbing his face against theirs. Aran watched with a tired smile.

"Papa, your face is scratchy!" Viv giggled, pushing his cheek away with their little toddler hands. Hiccup only laughed and brushed their soft brown hair out of their face. It reached their shoulders in an extremely androgynous fashion - something Aran insisted on maintaining for all of their children until they decided against it. Hiccup thought it was a bit odd, but let them have their way.

"Sorry, sorry, I was planning on shaving tomorrow." He planted an affectionate kiss on their forehead before they decided they wanted to sit on his shoulders and ruin his hair. Hiccup let them, despite not looking forward to having to fix whatever mess they made. "What's going on?" The chief recalled his spouse calling his name in a more serious manner before he got distracted with their child.

"Nothing much, really." They yawned again, and Hiccup quirked a brow. Aran groaned and stepped closer, clinging his arm. "I'm just **so** tired. At this point, I don't even know where any of our kids are but Viv." Hiccup chuckled, giving them a quick peck on their temple.

"You can't keep track of them all the time. When I was ten, I was always hunting for- for… **trolls** or something."

"Trolls?" There was a hint of fear in Viv's voice. "They're not gonna take my socks, are they?" It amazed Aran, the kinds of things viking children could be afraid of.

"Only the left ones." Hiccup assured, and Viv gasped.

"No! Those are my favorite ones!" They reached down to put their hands over their little boot- their right boot. Aran moved their hands to the correct foot.

"Anyways, my point isn't that trolls steal socks, my point is that you shouldn't be so worried. They can take care of themselves." Hiccup redirected the conversation to its original subject.

"It's not the kids I'm worried about… Not Kennedy, at least. By the time I woke up, Soybean and Daydream were already out of the house."

"Ah." That was a different problem altogether. "Well, I'm sure-"

There was a loud explosion somewhere distant, where Hiccup knew the sheep to be located, and he sighed. The problem with Soybean going missing wasn't that he would hurt himself, oh no. The problem with Soybean going missing was that he would set the entire town on fire if they let him. Hiccup constantly found himself thanking the gods that his eldest child had bonded with a terrible terror as opposed to something like a typhoomerang. He shuddered at the thought. Aran groaned loudly, running a hand through their bangs and wishing the braid reaching their mid-back wasn't a braid so they could just pull at every damn strand because their ten year old son was constantly setting buildings on fire. The fact that Vivian didn't even flinch at the explosion really said a lot about what was normal around Berk. There wasn't even any distant screaming (save for that of the sheep that Hiccup was starting to realize were probably on fire).

"Can we go see big brother?" Viv asked as Hiccup moved them from his shoulders. They clearly already associated explosions with their elder brother, which Aran thought was problematic as they took the four year old from their husband.

"If we can find him…" Hiccup grumbled, fixing his hair.

The group made their way towards the sound as quickly as they could, stopping every so often to douse a flaming sheep with water. Over the course of Soybean's childhood thus far, the inhabitants of Berk had learned it was always a good idea to keep a damn bucket of water available in any given location just in case something like this happened. Which it did. Frequently. Unfortunately, the sheep couldn't be doused immediately, and Hiccup could already see several other buildings aflame. He apologized to nearly every person he passed, and Aran just grumbled child-safe curses under their breath in Irish. It was bad enough that Soybean learned the Irish word for ' _fuck_ ' before any other one. They didn't need Viv picking up on that just yet.

"Dad!" Hiccup nearly ran over his eight year old daughter, who'd come out of practically nowhere. She didn't seem particularly panicked, though there was a look of guilt on her round, freckled face. "I'm sorry, I let Soybean out of my sight for five seconds, and…" Brown eyes flicked to the flames as she adjusted her equally brown hair, pushing it under her headband. It was actually quite long already, reaching the middle of her back, but she insisted she wanted to keep growing it out.

"Hey, it's alright, sweet pea." Hiccup crouched down to her eye level, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sure it's thanks to you he didn't start the fires sooner?" She nodded.

"I looked for him as soon as I woke up. He almost set a fire in Elder Gothi's hut, but she whacked him on the head with her stick." Kennedy mimicked the action, albeit in a much slower, less violent, stickless manner.

"Good thing he's always wearing your old helmet." Aran commented before focussing on their daughter. "Is he not near the sheep anymore?" Kennedy shook her head.

"He said something about…" She frowned, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to remember. "I don't remember, it was in Irish. Sorry…" Viv tugged Aran's sleeve in a manner that suggested they wanted to set foot on the ground. They patted their sister on the shoulder after waddling over to her.

"That's okay! We can find him together." They smiled at her with bright green eyes, and Kennedy smiled, taking their hand.

Aran took the opportunity to give Hiccup a quick peck on the lips before the group continued on their path. The familiar cry of Stormfly rang out, and they looked up just in time to see Astrid fly by and release the fire fighting mechanism Hiccup had installed all around town. A glance to the sky revealed that several other villagers and their dragons had set out to do the same, and soon the fires were put out. She landed by her friends as soon as the flames died, and Hiccup commented on the amount of time it took to get around to that. Astrid gave him an unamused look, but said nothing about the fact that he hadn't even tried to help. She was sure Toothless wasn't around for him to do so, as Hiccup had finally managed to craft a tailfin the night fury could control himself that he didn't immediately feel the need to destroy. This was due to the fact that Hiccup could still control it, granting the two of them the feeling of oneness that made flying so exhilarating. Hiccup's chiefly duties took up much of his time, so Toothless needed to be able to fly on his own, and he was glad they'd finally reached a compromise.

"Still haven't found him yet?" She responded with instead, dismounting and giving Stormfly an affectionate scratch under the chin. Hiccup sighed.

"If I had, I probably wouldn't be standing here right now." He scratched the back of his head, and Aran gave his hand a light squeeze to comfort him.

"Well, I'll keep an eye out for him. I doubt he'll try to start any new ones today, considering." She nodded at the charred, but still standing, buildings.

"Thanks, Astrid." Hiccup smiled at her, and she was leading Stormfly off in a different direction on foot.

When they finally reached the origin of the fire, they found a severely damaged fence, the charred remains of something they couldn't begin to determine the use of, and a very sad looking Bucket. Mulch and Lovisa (Astrid's daughter) were trying their best to comfort him, and the young girl easily confirmed that Soybean had indeed been the start of the explosion. Not that they really needed any confirmation, but it was nice to be certain. Lovisa Hofferson informed them that her sister was trying to wrangle all the sheep and bring them back, but considering the fact that she was only seven years old, it was proving to be a daunting task. Kennedy offered to stay behind and help repair damage, and Viv thankfully elected to do the same. Mulch continued to try and comfort Bucket ("It's not your fault!" "But the sheep exploded while I was watching them! I should have known!") while the children began cleaning up debris. Hiccup and Aran set off towards Gobber's smithy.

They weren't exactly expecting to find their eldest child hanging out with Gobber, but there was always the chance he was trying to steal some deadly weapon. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), he was nowhere to be seen. Gobber confirmed that he'd seen nothing before returning to whatever ridiculous conversation he was having with his lover. Hiccup wasn't completely sure when the two of them had met, but he was pretty sure the other man was named Arnold. Or something. The younger couple excused themselves from the smithy before bumping into Gothi, who gave them a very cryptic message involving sticks. They moved on, not wanting to ignore the message, but also not sure what they were supposed to gather from it. The two of them would keep it in mind until something came to them, but in the meantime they would continue to ask around.

Snotlout and Ilanah's daughter rounded the corner then, a sheep hoisted above her head as she laughed, running away from Heather's daughter. Both girls were the spitting image of their mothers, and laughter bubbled from Sonja Jorgenson's throat. She was having no trouble carrying the sheep- which Aran quickly realized was a lamb, otherwise the eight year old would definitely not be able to carry it, no matter how strong she was. Esther Ingerman didn't share the other girl's amusement in the slightest as she shouted at her to come back with Mulch's lamb. Sonja was fully prepared to ignore her, but Aran plucked the wooly creature from her hands as she ran by. She spun around immediately upon noticing its absence, and paled upon seeing Hiccup standing there, brow arched. Esther stopped beside the two adults, bent over with her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Aran wondered how long the two had been running.

"Sonja." Hiccup said her name in a scolding manner, hands on his hips. Sonja lowered her blue eyes to the ground, scuffing the ground with her boot.

"Sorry, Uncle Hiccup…" She mumbled, wringing her hands, and Hiccup sighed. He didn't like making kids feel bad. It reminded him of how much trouble he used to get into, and how awful he always felt about it.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." He said, glancing towards Esther, who had caught her breath. Aran handed her the lamb, and she carried it with slightly more difficulty than Sonja had.

"Sorry, Esther. I shouldn't have taken Mulch's sheep from you." Esther nodded, blushing slightly.

"It's okay." She responded, and Sonja walked over to her.

"I can help you look for the other ones!" The stronger girl took the sheep from her again, carrying it under her arm. "I'm way tougher than you," She flexed her free arm. "So we should be finished in no time if we work together." Esther puffed her cheeks out.

"You're not tougher than me!" She insisted. Aran laughed at the scene and squatted down to be closer to eye level with them.

"We're all pretty tough, so how about we work together to try and find all of Mulch's sheep?" They suggested.

"You two take that one back to the farm, okay? I think Lovisa is there with Vivian and Kennedy." Hiccup continued, and the two girls gasped.

"Kennedy!" They exclaimed, and somehow Esther was more eager to see Kennedy than she was to see her own sister.

The two of them ran off, Sonja still carrying the sheep but Esther not really caring about her apparent lack of toughness. Aran got back on their feet, stumbling slightly before Hiccup righted them. They quickly decided that they should probably look for the rest of the sheep. Soybean still needed to be found, yes, but he could wait until the animals were accounted for. As they continued their search, they stopped multiple times for Hiccup to attend his chiefly duties- one of which being to make sure Bluffnut, Tuffnut's self appointed protege, wasn't planning on doing any significant damage with the large amount of fish he was carrying in a bucket he could barely hold. The six year old insisted he was only planning on dumping the fish on Tuffnut's head, so Hiccup didn't bother stopping him. Tuffnut would probably think it was funny. That child certainly had an odd relationship with his supposed 'father' figure…

By the time Hiccup and Aran managed to get all the sheep together, it was already getting dark, and the only child still awake at Mulch and Bucket's sheep enclosure was Kennedy, though she looked as if she were about to pass out. Sonja was gone, likely having gone home, and Esther was curled up with the lamb she'd chased down earlier. Lovisa was near her sister, subconsciously huddled close to her in a move to be warm despite inheriting Fishlegs's build and wearing rather warm clothes. Viv had curled up on Kennedy's lap. The eldest girl blinked up at her parents and yawned, rubbing her eyes and managing to look even sleepier than usual. Quite an impressive feat for her, as she always did things in a somewhat lethargic manner and never seemed to be fully awake.

"Hey, sweet pea." Aran cooed, and Hiccup wordlessly picked Vivian up, taking care not to rouse them from their sleep.

"Mmm, dad?" Kennedy yawned, causing her parents to smile fondly at her.

"We're here." Hiccup responded as they started walking towards their house on the cliff. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"Viv wanted me to tell them the story about the mice again…" Kennedy mumbled as she made herself comfortable in Aran's arms despite definitely being much too old to be carried around by her parents. Aran didn't mind, though. They were strong enough to handle one eight year old girl.

"That's a really nice one, sweet pea." Aran responded as she drifted off to sleep.

It was after tucking the two children into bed that Hiccup looked out the window and stated that Gothi had probably been meaning the forest when she implied something about sticks. The two of them groaned, both taking a moment to lament over just how damn stupid they felt before making their way outside, noting that their dragons were still off in the wild somewhere doing who knows what. Aran kind of wished they'd not decided to disappear that day. It would have made their search missions a heck of a lot easier. The two of them made their way back to town, retracing their steps to the sheep enclosure they knew Soybean had been at. Heather was waking her daughters up, and Aran almost laughed at how reluctant Esther was to say goodbye to her newfound lamb friend.

Hiccup and Aran bade the three girls goodnight before finding the result of short bursts of fire marring the tree bark of the forest nearby. It took only a quick examination to determine that this was most likely Daydream's doing, as they were quite definitely from a terrible terror. The evidence didn't last for very long, unfortunately, and they wound up wandering through the dark woods almost aimlessly. Their search was frustratingly fruitless, and Aran gave Hiccup's hand a little squeeze, a reassuring smile that could barely be seen in the dark. The redhead suggested going to the cove so the night wasn't a complete loss. Sure, they hadn't found Soybean, but he would be fine on his own. He would probably find his way to his bed before morning as he always did. Hiccup sighed, agreeing, but as they neared the entrance to the cove, they slowed their movements, hearing a familiar voice and noting that they could see due to some light source.

" _... I didn't really try to set Gothi's hut on fire._ " Came Soybean's voice. He was the only one of their children currently fluent in Irish. " _I was just trying to help, but she chased us out. I wouldn't have blown up the sheep if she hadn't._ " How he came to learn it was unclear to them, because despite his first word being in the language of Aran's home country, he certainly didn't spend enough time with his parents to be fluent. " _You dragons are lucky you don't have to deal with stupid stuff like that._ " Soybean paused. " _But you don't have constellations, and that sucks._ "

Now close enough to see him, they saw their son lying on his back, hands resting comfortably on his abdomen. His helmet, once belonging to his father and once being his grandmother's breastplate, was resting on the ground beside him, close enough to the edge of the lake that one wrong move could plunge it into the water. Daydream was curled up beside him, snoozing peacefully despite his human companion prattling off to him. He was likely the starter of the decently sized fire crackling nearby, warm light bouncing off his green scales and leathery pink wings. Soybean didn't seem to mind the lack of response, adjusting his brown fur vest reminiscent of the one his father used to wear. His twig-like legs were covered by a darker brown kilt, and even darker brown fur boots. He pointed a freckled hand to the sky, the saffron sleeves of his tunic slipping down slightly to show his bony wrist.

" _Those three stars are Orion's belt, you know. At least, that's what Sonja's dad said once. Apparently some guys from Greece came up with it._ "

His hand dropped back down to his abdomen before he decided that no, that was not what he wanted to do with it, and he instead made an attempt to brush through his flaming mess of hair. It didn't work, and he cursed when his thin fingers got caught in a knot. Not caring particularly about the quality of his hair, he simply ripped the strands apart, flapping his hand in an effort to get the now loose strands off of him. That had been a bit embarrassing. He sat up, putting his helmet on and holding in a yawn. Brown eyes flicked around, and he saw his parents approaching. Drat! He'd been hoping they wouldn't find him here. One day he would manage to find a hiding place they could never discover him, and he would live his life out as a hermit. Just him, Daydream, and the wilderness, eating berries without bothering to think about whether or not they were poisonous. Well, Daydream probably wouldn't care about that considering the fact that terrible terrors have pretty bad poison themselves. And the wilderness probably wasn't about to eat berries. Just Soybean, then. Come to think of it, he kind of really didn't want to eat mysterious and possibly poisonous berries, anyways.

"Soybean, we've been looking for you practically all day." Hiccup sighed, sounding frustrated. Good. "How long have you been here?"

"..." He said nothing, sending a blank look towards his father, and Aran put a hand on Hiccup's arm.

"Come on, Bean Boy. It's been a long day and your siblings are already in bed. I know I'm about ready to pass out, myself." Aran said with a slight yawn, and Soybean wordlessly picked Daydream up, hoping it was clear that he was only doing so because it was Aran who'd asked him.

"Did Kennedy tell Vivian the story about the mice again?" Soybean asked, making sure Daydream was properly draped around his neck like a fancy scarf.

"You know she did." Aran smiled, and Soybean wrinkled his button nose at the sight of them giving his father's hand a soft squeeze.

"I hate that story." His voice was needlessly harsh as he started following them home. He didn't really hate it. He was just kind of sick of it, because Vivian insisted on hearing it literally every night before they went to bed, complaining if anyone tried to add or leave out literally any little detail.

"Hate is a strong word." Hiccup commented, and Soybean refused to respond, glaring at his back. He saw his shoulders slump slightly, and satisfaction swelled within him.

The rest of the walk home was done in quiet whispers between his parents that Soybean couldn't be bothered to listen to because he really just didn't care enough. He huffed as he looked up at the trees blocking his view of the night sky. They were probably talking about his tendency to try and set the town on fire. He just kind of wanted to lie down on the ground and try it again. At the same time, somehow. He wasn't quite sure how he would do that, but that was definitely a thing he really wanted to do. The group exited the forest, and Soybean looked up, scanning the sky for any constellations he recognized. He suddenly found himself not caring about that, because the house was probably really warm due to the fire he could see still burning in the living room, and he had been born on a decently hot summer day. The winters of Berk were not his favorite in the slightest. Soybean rushed to get inside before his parents, immediately making his way towards his room, which he had all to himself and wasn't required to share with his siblings. One of the perks of having a parent willing to personally construct more room in a house originally designed for one person and a dragon. Now it was one of the largest houses on Berk. Hiccup sighed as he watched his ten year old son disappear into his room.

"I swear, he started his rebellious phase when he was six and it hasn't let up."

"Aww, come on, there's nothing we can do about it." Aran smiled in a reassuring manner, sitting next to him on the bed and rubbing his back as he worked on removing his prosthetic and getting ready to enter the realm of the sleeping.

"Easy for you to say. He doesn't actively ignore everything you say to him." He had a point. Not that Aran would admit it.

"Honestly, I just think it's funny that you of all people are having such a hard time with him." Aran chuckled.

"Oh, and what's that supposed to mean?" Hiccup asked, and Aran rolled their eyes.

"Nothing." They gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, you need to get some sleep tonight. I'm sick of you waking up after getting four hours or something ridiculous like that." Hiccup allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed, the two of them fumbling slightly to find a comfortable position in the dark. Despite their familiarity with each other, he doubted they would ever manage to get **that** right on the first try.

"I just don't get why he hates me so much. I try to let him do what he wants, but then he just sets the town on fire as if- as if he's trying to **prove** something, and I just- I just don't know." He ran a hand down his face and let out a deep breath, Aran giving him a light and unnecessary pat on the chest. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"You of all people should have known how tough parenthood must be."

"I'm not liking that whole 'you of all people' thing you keep throwing around there." There was a hint of amusement in his voice, and Aran laughed.

"You of all people should know that you need enough sleep to do your big and important chief duties tomorrow!" They bopped his chest lightly, feeling half asleep as they listened to his heartbeat.

"Big and important, my ass." Hiccup grumbled. He was pretty sure all he had on his plan for tomorrow was the usual check up on the town. Nobody was getting married, no babies were being named, nobody was getting divorced, no animals were in short supply. No anything.

"I have known you for over half of my life, and your ass is **not** big."

Aran couldn't hold back their laughter as Hiccup playfully shoved them off of his chest. They whined when he turned his back to them, apologizing in a way that sounded too sincere to take seriously, and Hiccup couldn't keep his mock poutiness up for more than a few seconds. He chuckled, turning back to face them and accepting the kiss they planted on his lips before telling them to turn around so he could be the big spoon and go to sleep. After he decided Aran was comfortably snug against his chest, Hiccup allowed himself to relax. While it was true, he wasn't the perfect father he'd been hoping to be, he knew that not nothing was really meant to be easy- parenting least of all. It would just take a bit of hard work. That's what it took him and his father, and that's what it would take him and his son. For now, he would just have to prepare for what the future holds, and try his very best to catch whatever it threw at him. And he was okay with that.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 4,920_**

 **Fun fact I left this tab alone for too long and it reloaded so I had to rewrite this entire A/N.**

 **Please read about the fics I have planned, and check out my profile to vote on which one you'd like to read most! Super important details will be bolded, but I would like it if you would read everything I have to say~**

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Modern AU (please help me name things)

A modern AU where I focus more on Hiccup's depression, lack of friends, anxiety, and relationship with his family than on romance. Aran is still there, of course, but the romantic plot isn't as important as the family plot and such. **Dragons are human.** They're also their riders older siblings.

 **Hiccup is on the autistic spectrum.** This was one of the first things I decided when planning the fic out. I've done research and read fanfiction written about characters with autism by people with autism, so I'd like to think I know what I'm doing but you need to keep in mind that I myself have not been diagnosed with it and I am not an expert. If I portray something incorrectly, PLEASE tell me.

 **Valka is schizophrenic.** I haven't researched this as much as autism, but I have looked into it a bit. It's relevant to the plot as well, and the same thing applies. Please tell me if I'm getting something wrong.

A less relevant thing is Toothless having ADD, but he takes medication and it doesn't really impact the plot a bunch. It is there tho. Again, please tell me if I ever get something wrong.

 **Genderfluid Fun Times With Hooky is a fanfic I wrote set in this modern AU.** You can find it on my profile if you want, though it focuses entirely on a subplot as opposed to the main plot and may be a bit inaccurate in some places due to me developing the AU more after writing it.

I'm sure there's more I should say but ughhh I had to retype this entire A/N I'm sorry I'm v impatient right now

Basic plot: Hiccup's life kinda sucks but then Aran moves to town and it's kinda better but then stuff happens and it gets worse again and then it gets better again and it gets worse and- well, let's just say it keeps happening until he finally finds his happy ending.

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Mermaid AU (please help me name things)

 **The vikings are merfolk.** This entire AU was based on Aran's art in chapter 16 (and 17). **All the humans are OCs.** Yeah. **Aran is still in the closet.** Gender issues will be a lot more relevant because of this, and they will be less happy with their life. At least Hiccup actually has friends in this AU tho lmao

Basic plot: Hiccup is bored with his sheltered life as a merman prince. Aran is sick of their closeted life as an unimportant townsperson. After an unlikely meeting, they manage to fall in love, but there are complications when your boyfriend is a different species.

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Ilanah PoV (please help me name things)

Basic plot: **In an attempt to show you guys that Ilanah was actually a cool character, I gave her a chance to be in the spotlight**. It starts with us learning about her life, then a retelling of HTDWV from her point of view before she and Snotlout embark on a journey to the middle east to find her adoptive father's ex boyfriend. Why? That is honestly a very good question. Shenanigans ensue, and **Ilanah helps Snotlout embrace his bisexuality.**

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Future Fic (please help me name things)

I can't give you a basic plot here because damn, there is none. This is just going to be a series of oneshots set any time after chapter 39 of HTDWV.

 **This fic is going to run on reader input.** I'm not about to come up with everything. Please send in messages about what you want me to write, and I'll consider it, maybe mix one person's suggestion with another. The oneshots will be out of order, and the first "chapter" will serve as a sort of table of contents so you can see when everything should be read if you wanna try and do things chronologically.

 **I would like it to focus on the children.** I'm fine with writing some 'chapters' focusing on stuff like HicAran and Heathstrid but please keep in mind that this is a next-gen fic.

 **I am willing to accept OCs from you.** Please just keep in mind that I will not let you fuck up already established relationships. I know he's the most popular guy, but Hiccup is, in fact, taken. The OCs I'm thinking of are more in line with next-gen OCs with maybe unimportant parents? Or important parents, I dunno. Ruff and Tuff are still single, and so is Eret, so who knows. If you want me to write your OC into this fic, please send me a PM and I will be more than happy to discuss with you and see if we can come to some kind of agreement.

 **List of the kids with ages in relation to Soybean, and also some other little details (please note that only Soybean had a dragon at this point in time):**

(eldest) Soybean's dragon is a male terrible terror named Daydream. His biological parents are Hiccup and Aran.

(2 years younger) Kennedy's dragon is a female timberjack named Treestar. Her biological parents are Hiccup and Aran.

(2 years younger) Sonja's dragon is a shockjaw who I haven't named yet. Her biological parents are Snotlout and Ilanah.

(3 years younger) Esther's dragon is a grapple grounder who I haven't named yet. Her biological parents are Heather and Fishlegs. Astrid is her mother as well, albeit adoptive.

(3 years younger) Lovisa's dragon is a shovelhelm who I haven't named yet. Her biological parents are Astrid and Fishlegs. Heather is her mother as well, albeit adoptive.

(4 years younger) Bluffnut's dragon is a snaptrapper who I haven't named yet. His biological parents are unknown. Tuffnut is his adoptive father.

(6 years younger) Vivian's dragon is actually a mouse named Squeakerton (or Ragnarok, depending on the situation). Their biological parents are Hiccup and Aran.

 **If this gets popular enough, I might write an actual multi-chapter fanfic for this next-gen with a plot and such.** I don't have a plot in mind though, so that's a big IF.

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How to Deal With Smut

There isn't much to say about this one. It's literally just... **any time Hiccup and Aran did the diddly.** Some of it was important. Some of it was not. It would be in chronological order, but I wouldn't try to link the chapters to each other I'd just be like "this one happened in chapter 30" or something haha. There isn't even a guarantee that I'll write it but eh, you never know.

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 **That was a lot. Anyways, thank you so much for reading! I honestly don't know what to say, this is really weird to be writing right now. I've never finished a fanfic before. This is my first one, and I want to thank all of you for sticking with me and reading all the way through. If you want to vote on a fic, please check out the poll I'm about to put up on my profile! I'm more than happy to talk to any of you about any questions you have, as long as they aren't spoilers! I'll even answer more general questions (like if you have questions about stuff like gender, sexuality, mental disorders, whatever) to the best of my ability.**

 **I love all of you so much, and I'd like to thank you for reading all of this fanfic, honestly. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope to see you again with my new works!**


	41. Rewrite?

**Hi! I know this fanfic is finished, but I was wondering if any of you would be interested in me re-writing it? I've been trying to get back into writing for HTTYD and I have some things I would definitely change about this fic. So... what do you think?**


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